#I zoned out very hard yesterday when I did most of the work on this lmao. anyways

[peapod20001]

@carbonateddelusion

✨ Stargazing ✨

[onemeangreenbean]

Chapter 9

SUMMARY: On the precipice of death Wynter does the only thing she can think to do to save herself. Something that is forbidden in her practice….to summon a demon and make a deal. The demon that answers her call ask what Wynter is offering  and in her delirious state she answers with the only thing she can think of  “Anything”.

PAIRING: Demon!Yoongi x BlackWitch OC 

GENRE: Demon AU, Mystery, Strangers to Lovers, Soulmates, Smut, Fluff, Angst, slowburn

WARNINGS: violence, gore, murder (maybe), eventual smut, panic attacks, honestly my brain has stopped but promise each chapter with have individual warnings!

WORDCOUNT: 6,689

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back from the dead! Long story short moved into my first home and IMMEDIATELY got laid off from my job.....all that to say I am now more stable and less depressed. I have been working on this story so she is not abandoned. I can't say that the updates will be consistent but I have written up to Chapter 12! That being said if anyone is interested in beta reading please let me know. I need someone to help hold me accountable for writing 😭. Anywho, love ya'll bunches XOXO!

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Anything Masterlist | Masterlist

“Are you sure you’re feel alright?” It was what felt like the hundredth time that Namjoon had asked Wynter that same question. Rolling her eyes she continued to sweep up the non-existent dust that was on the floor. Keeping busy was not helping her from not zoning out. In Namjoon’s defense he was still unsure if the effects of the potion had really worn off and didn’t leave any lasting effects. Wynter had reassured him numerous times that morning that it had not and that she had felt perfectly fine. 

“Yes.” Her tone coming out more clipped than usual. Less because of the concerned owner and more because of her raging and unprocessed emotions swirling in her head. To say that she was confused would be an understatement. After yesterday it was like every single thought, feeling, that she had successfully locked away in a little box in a dusty corner of her head regarding Yoongi exploded, leaving nothing but chaos in it’s wake. Not helped by the fact that she woke up this morning  to him not forcefully waking her up but instead to a full course breakfast that he had made. 

She was leary about what it was for - lowkey traumatized by the time he spelled the food to make it unbearably spicy because in his words “all food could be tampered with. Even by those you trust”.  Wynter had cussed him out for that once she had downed most of the milk. So when she questioned him before taking a bite this morning he had simply stated that she deserved a break after yesterday. It made her suspicious. 

All month he had basically been missing and now suddenly he was  gently waking her up with the small of an american style breakfast. When he had time to even learned to make that type of food only confused her further. The only conclusion was that he was planning on throwing some big test her way. Either way though now with her emotions all over the place it was hard to not conflate his act of “goodwill” with something deeper. 

Gasping Wynter stopped mid-sweep. What if he heard her yesterday? She felt her body heat up from the sheer embarrassment of the mere thought that he knew that she had masturbated. Even more that she masturbated to the some of the most deprived thoughts of him. Fuck, she even said his name. Groaning hung her head in shame as she continued cleaning. In her defense it wasn’t really her fault. She was under magical influence that exacerbated her very real, very deeply hidden, feelings for said demon. 

“Are you sure-”

“If you ask me that one more time I’m going to throw this broom at your face.” Wynter huffed as Namjoon mouth opened and closed as he tried to find a response. “It honestly didn’t last but a few hours. I felt normal by the time I went to bed last night.” Did it have to do with what was probably the most powerful orgasm she had given herself? Maybe, but Namjoon didn’t need to know that. 

Reluctantly nodding, the shaman went back to counting down the cash register. Making her way over to her little workstation in the corner, Wynter went about putting up the ingredients and materials she had used that day. Smiling a bit to herself she was happy that Namjoon had enough faith in her to allow her to start fixing candles and making small charms in the shop. It took some of the stress of doing all of the spellwork off of him and allowed him to focus on doing work for their actually magical clientele. 

The smell of orange and rose filled the air as Wynter wiped the area off with some Florida water. Humming to herself she blessed the space to prepare it for use the next day. Lost in her own little world she didn’t notice that Namjoon had walked over to her, “Wyn?”

Looking up she saw that the sliver haired shaman was standing directly in front of her, shifting his weight from side to side. Pushing his round framed glasses up with a long finger her cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you were busy this Sunday?” His voice came out stable but a slight tremble gave away that her was nervous. 

Unsure of where this was going Wynter slowing down wiping the counter until she stopped. Sunday’s were usually the days that Yoongi let her rest. Consisting of them mostly lazing about with her binge watching a new drama and Yoongi begrudgingly participating, but Wynter could tell he was secretly starting to get invested in the newest one they were watching. “I should be free. Did you need me to come in and work for a bit?”

Namjoon was quick to shake his head, “No that’s not it. Jin and Taehyung are going to watch the store that day.” Wynter’s eyes narrowed in question as a quizzical look overtook her face. “What I mean is that Tae had been talking about this new art exhibit that’s just opened up over in Samcheong-dong and I wanted to see if you would be interested in checking it out. With me?” 

Tilting her head slightly Wynter really took a moment to take him in and now very clear nervous disposition. “Like a date?” She question confusion coloring her tone, because she was genuinely confused. Never in a million would she had guess that Kim Namjoon would ask her out. Racking her brain she tried to figure out of there were any signs she missed. This must be the friend the Jin and Tae were talking about last month. She thought it was going to be one of the servers at Moon not their brother. Which just begs the question of how long had Namjoon like her. 

“Uh, yeah.” He said quietly, rubbing his hands together to try and disperse some of his anxious energy. Wynter stood in front of him, rag still in hand, at a lost for words. She wanted to say no, mostly out of habit, but other than the fact that he was her boss and mentor Wynter couldn’t find a valid reason. She knew that after that last date that she would have a hard time finding someone to accept the fact that she was tied to a demon. Though, if it was Namjoon she wouldn’t have to since he already knew. Maybe her feelings that she had for Yoongi were just misplaced. 

“Yeah. I would love to go out with you Sunday.” The words felt odd coming out of her mouth, but she chalked it up to not saying yes to an organic date in years. She didn’t count the blind date with Mrs. Kwon’s son. To her amusement Namjoon body sagged with relief at her yes, a blinding smile lighting up his face - dimples on full devastating display. “Wonderful! I’ll come pick you up around four if that works?” 

Wynter couldn’t help but smile back as she agreed to the time. “I should get going, but I’ll see you tomorrow?” Namjoon nodded as he clumsily made his way back to his workshop with a dopy grin on his face, tripping over his own feet every few steps. 

Laughing Wynter walked out of the shop with a mixture of excitement and confusion about what had just happened.

Yoongi had just put the kimchi on the table when he heard the front door open and close. He was proud of himself for getting the timing right. It had took a while to get the handle on gauging Wynter’s schedule but he had it pretty down at this point. “I didn’t really feel like cooking all that much so I just made some ramen-” Yoongi’s voice trailed off as he watched as Wynter plopped down at the small dining room table with a dazed look on her face. “What’s wrong?” His eyes scanned her for any injuries and his flicked through her mind for any hint as to what could be happening. 

“Namjoon asked me out on a date,” her voice sounded far away like she was still processing what had just happened. Pulling her hair out of her scrunchy she shook out the curls, fluffing them around her head. 

Yoongi paused his assessment and fixed her with a stare, “What did you say?” 

“Yeah.” Picking up her pink chopsticks she popped a piece of kimchi into her mouth. Chewing absentmindedly. Meanwhile Yoongi felt as though his entire world just stopped working because it would just be his luck that when he decided to pursue and lean into his feelings the shaman would finally make a move. Taking a calming breath he tried to keep his even. 

“Why?” It came out  bit rougher than he intended but Wynter was so in her head she didn’t even notice. 

Taking another piece of kimchi to eat, Wynter thought for a moment. “Well, he’s a really great man honestly. I mean he’s so good at what he does. Not only in the store but also as a shaman. I know you don’t get to see him work but the things that his mind comes up with. He’s so kind and compassionate too. I mean he’s a little clumsy but who isn’t. Plus I’d have to be blind to not notice how unbelievable hot he his, I mean have you seen his thighs. Though I’ve never looked at him that way because he’s my boss and my mentor so it seemed inappropriate but it’s been so long now that I think we’ve become equals in some ways.”

Yoongi could feel his temper raising with each word that Wynter rambled in praise of Kim Namjoon. It was like she was taking a red hot blade and stabbing him in the heart over and over again. His soft face harden as he tried to keep his jealousy in check but if this was a test he was failing spectacularly. “You’re not going?”

The finality of his tone made Wynter stop mid sentence and look over to where Yoongi was leaned on the counter his arms on either side of him. She could see where his hands were flexing from gripping the countertop. “Excuse me?” She needed him to repeat what he just said because she thought she heard him say that she couldn’t go on a date. 

“You heard me the first time,” Yoongi’s tone was as dark as his face as his stared her down. 

Scoffing in disbelief she threw her chopsticks down onto the table, “I’m so sorry but I thought I made it very clear the last time I went on a date that you do not get to dictate who I get to go out with.” 

“I’m not telling you that you can’t go out,” Yoongi felt his chest constrict a little at the lie. “What I’m saying is that you can’t go out with the shaman or really any of the Kim’s for that reason.” 

Crossing her arm Wynter laughed in his face, “Be so fucking for real right now. Whatever your deal is with the Kim’s leave me out of it cause I don’t have shit to do with it.” She could not believe him right now. To have the audacity to tell her who she could and could not date. “Your afraid that the big bad shamans are going to send you packing again,” Wynter mocked in a baby voice rolling her eyes. 

He felt it as his anger took over. The cheap table broke upon impact against the wall. Scattering broken dishes and food everywhere. Yoongi grabbed a fistfull her her soft locks at the back of her head, yanking it back forcing her eyes to his now fully black ones. Tears pricked the corner of Wynter’s eyes as she stared into his cold ones. “Do not forget who you are speaking to?” Yoongi’s voice was low and calm as he spoke to her. “If you would like to fuck your way up to the top of high shaman society I won’t stop you, but remember that at the end of the day I own you. Mind, body, and soul. So if I get sent back down you get dragged along with me.” 

Yoongi couldn’t stop the words leaving his mouth even if he wanted too. The regret and guilt was instant when he felt fear seep it’s way into their bond. He was doing the one thing he never wanted to do which was make Wynter scared of him. The monster that he truly was being reflected back to him in Wynter wide eyes. Inhaling deeply he removed his hand and watched as she bounced a bit in the chair from how forceful he dropped her. Turning away he walked out. The front door slamming behind him echoed in Wynter’s ears.

Wynter could feel the tears that she was trying to hold back begin to run down her cheeks. The fear that had dissipated throughout the few months that she had known Yoongi came back full force. Suddenly Wynter felt very small and as if nothing was in her control. More importantly she came to the stark realization that whatever these feelings for the demon she was having were foolish. Yoongi’s words doing nothing but making that abundantly clear that she was nothing more than an obligation, and investment, in his eyes.

Maybe that’s why the tears weren’t stopping. Not because she was scared of him -Wynter understood that Yoongi wouldn’t hurt her, at leat not in any real way- but because she had been slammed back into reality and into her place in his life. Wiping her tears she picked up what she could and threw out what was broken. 

Smoothing down the front of her silk skirt, Wynter took one last look at herself in the mirror. The 90’s style midi skirt was a burnt orange that complemented her skin tone and paired with a white tank top style bodysuit gave the right balance for a casual day to night date. Fixing her headscarf she added an few extra bobby pins to make it more secure to support the pineapple she had threw her hair into. It was one of those days where she just wanted to cut it all off but chose to throw it up and out of her face. 

Fidgtinging for a few moments, Wynter threw her hands up in defeat. She looked fine and she knew she looked fine, she was just anxious. Surprisingly not about this date with Namjoon but about the fact that she hadn’t seen or heard from Yoongi in days. Not even for trainings or lessons, which was odd. Obviously their argument was bad, but usually he at least popped in for a quick check in. This time it felt as though his anger was masking hurt. Now that Wynter had had some time to process the events Yoongi did seem hurt by what she said. Knowing herself she knew she would feel anxious and guilty until she apologized which was why him up a disappearing was unsettling to her, because what if he didn’t come back. Sighing she looked over to where she heard a soft knock at her door. Knowing that Namjoon was there. 

Putting on her platform heels and grabbing her small crossbody bag, Wynter opened the door to a surprised Namjoon with his fist still raised mid-air. Bashfully smiling he put his hand down, as he took a quick scan of her. “I got these for you,” he held out a bouquet of wildflowers for her to take. The mix greenery and purple flowers were beautiful and made butterflies erupt in Wynters chest. 

“Thanks!” Her heels clicked across the floor as she made her way over to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase and some water, before setting it on her coffee table. Namjoon gave a hum of acknowledgement as he looked around Wynter’s apartment. He had been there before but he this was the first time he had been back since Yoongi had “moved in”. Wynter figured it was due to the fact the neither of them could be in the same room as the other without wanting to kill each other. 

“What happened to your table?” Wynter looked up from where she was arranging the flowers to see Namjoon pointing over to the empty space where her dining room table once sat. Wynter felt her chest tighten at the fresh memory. 

“Um, training gone wrong,” her chuckle sounded force even to her own ears. She felt bad for lying to Namjoon but if she told him what actually happened then they rest of the day would be ruined, and Wynter was determined to give this date a fair chance. He seemed to accept that answer as they left the apartment. The way over was filled with talk about the art exhibit they were going too. Wynter didn’t really contribute much content to let Namjoon lead the conversation. The way his eyes would light up with each new piece of information he remembered about the artists that were featured made Wynter’s heart swell with fondness. 

Apparently it was supposed to be a multimedia exhibit that brought together modern and classic artists pieces and allowed visual and audio artist to bring the pieces to life. Namjoon explained it better than Wynter ever could but she understood the gist of it. Knowing that anything she didn't understand Namjoon would happily explain. 

After securing their tickets, where Namjoon insisted on paying, they entered the first spaces. To say that that it was a interactive experience would be an understatement. It was as if Wynter walked right into the art itself. Somehow immersing the spectator and making them the subject. Stepping into the first exhibit it was like they were transported to the Korean countryside. The soft dirt path through the room lead them through a field of grass next to a small country home during what looked to be early morning. Wynter wasn’t sure that it was made to scale but it felt as though it was. She could even smell the smoke coming from the chimney and here the water from the stream the path followed. 

Looking to her right she was surprised to find that there was an actual stream with small fish swimming through them. Gasping she tugged on the sleeve of Namjoon’s cardigan as she made her way over to take a closer look at the fishes. “We have to stay on the path!” Namjoon whispered at her. 

“I don’t think so. Aren’t there usually signs that say that,” Wynter countered, “Plus the lady of front said that the exhibit is meant to be explored to its fullest extent.” Looking back up at him with her eyes wide, they had a mini stare off which just resulted in Namjoon sighing and letting himself be dragged over to look at the small fishes swim. Every room that they went through was like the first one, transporting them to different times and places. Wynter let Namjoon explain what painting each room was because he was actually paying attention to the small plaques on the wall, while Wynter was basically running headlong into what awaited them in the next room. 

By the time they got to the last room Wynter felt as though they had lived so many different lives. She couldn’t remember when was the last time she had such a fun time on a date. Their hands were tightly intertwined as they walked into the last room. Both, Namjoon and Wynter, stopped at how beautifully breathtaking the space was as a sea of purple greeted them. Wynter didn’t need Namjoon to explain what painting this was, the smell of wild irises filled the air as the abstract field waved in the late afternoon breeze. She didn’t know how the had managed to pull off an entire field of flowers exactly in Van Gogh’s iconic style with just lights, holograms, and pieces of  soft fabric but they did. 

They took their time walking through knowing that this was the last room, wanting to soak in the experience and tranquility that the room brought. “I wish they were real. Irises are my favorite,” Wynter said quietly as they meandered. 

Namjoon looked over to see Wynter staring longingly at one of the faux purple flowers swaying. Feeling Namjoon bend down next to her, she turned to see him gently grab the fabric stalk of one of flowers. The air around them seem to charge as Namjoon plucked it from it’s spot transforming it into a real iris, the bright yellow petals a complimentary contrast to its purple and blue counterparts. “Have you ever seen a Korean iris before?” Eyes wide Wynter shook her head as she accepted the flower from the handsome shaman. “Well now you have,” his smile wide and his dimples deep as he turned his gaze shyly to the ground as they made their way out of the room. 

The restaurant that Namjoon took her to wasn’t far from the art exhibit. It was a small Italian bistro with intimate seating and low lighting. Wynter looked over to where the sun had began to set through the window, as she listened to Namjoon order them a bottle of wine. Her fingers lightly tapped the menu as she tried to find something to eat, before finally settling on eggplant parm. There conversation flowed easily as they went through a full breakdown of the art exhibit going over their favorite parts and what painting they wished were included. 

Wynter loved watching Namjoon talk about art. His passion for the subject taking her by surprise the first time the had met. It was through him, and Taehyung, that she had grown an appreciation for art at all. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Namjoon spoke in between bites, “To be honest, I’ve been nervous all week so to hear that you’re enjoying yourself is a relief.”

“I always enjoy myself when I’m with you, Joon.” Wynter giggled as she took a sip of her wine. While not a lie, she was enjoying herself, she realized that something felt off. The entire time through the exhibits and throughout the majority of dinner it was like she was going through the motions. Understanding that this was a wonderful date, damn near perfect, but knowing that she still wasn’t satisfied. A weird form of double think as she casually conversed with the man in front of her, yet thought only of if a certain someone would enjoy the meal in front of her. Wondering if a certain someone would have enjoyed the art, particularly the Joseon royal courtyard overflowing with peonies, Korean red pines and crepe myrtles. Wynter wondered if that was what his courtyard looked like. 

No matter how much of her full attention she wanted to give to Namjoon, she couldn’t help the fact that her mind kept wondering back to the dark haired demon who she was currently missing. Still, she smiled and bickered with Namjoon over who would pay, eventually letting him win. Wynter kept up the light flirting and conversation as they made their way back over to their neighborhood. 

Yellow iris still gripped in her hand, Wynter and Namjoon stopped in front of her apartment door. Him being enough of a gentleman to walk her up the steps to make sure she made it home in one piece. “I’ll respell this tomorrow at the shop,” Namjoon reached out and touched the selenite that rested against her chest. They both stood for a moment as they both tried to find a non-awkward way to end the date. Namjoon’s gaze dropping to her full lips.

Clearing her throat, “I’ll see you tomorrow than?”

The sound of her voice seemed to have startled Namjoon, causing his eyes to snap up to meet hers from where they rested on her lips. “Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Taking the hint he took a step back giving Wynter enough room to unlock her door and enter her apartment. After turning to say one last bye she watched as the tall man walked down the hall towards the elevator before closing her door. Slouching against the door she took what she felt like was the first relaxing breath. 

Wynter felt like absolute shit because that was her ideal date with someone she put in the friend box because she didn’t think he’d even look at her twice. Yet, she was too busy worrying about if Yoongi was still mad at her and if he would enjoy a date like that. Internally cussing herself out she took off her heels and put her stuff up. Taking the lone yellow iris she laid it on the edge of the counter next to where the vase of flowers reasted. 

The real problem was that during her almost four hour date with Namjoon she came to the annoying conclusion that she really fucking liked Yoongi. She had made the promise to herself to not let him take her heart too but here she was serving it up to him on a platter so that he can incinerate and then piss on it. Though there were moments where she was sure she saw an odd gleam in his eye or a caught him staring at her. Pushing all of that to the side he made clear that she was nothing more than an investment to him. Wynter had known him just long enough to notice that when backed into a corner he lashes out, so how sure could she really be of that train of thought. 

Groaning Wynter leaned against the back of her couch looking out into the Seoul night skyline. Hypothetically speaking even if he does reciprocate her mix of feelings, then what? They ride off happily into the sunset? That seemed like a load of bullshit even to Wynter but realistically they were from two different worlds that were constantly fighting with each other. There was no way that whatever relationship that they had would end well. The question that swirled around Wynter’s head was if it was worth it. Her mind reminded her of all the possible ways it wouldn’t work and ended up with one or both of them dead. Her heart screamed at her that none of that mattered as long as they faced it together. 

Slowly she closed her eyes and took in a deep breathe sighing it out. Her momma had always told her to follow her intuition. To follow the path her soul lead her, and it was leading her down this clearly doomed path. Only real way to begin down this path was to talk to him. Rolling her eyes she went and opened a cabinet grabbing two whiskey glasses and the bottle of Yoongi’s favorite whiskey. After pouring both glasses she mumbled under her breath, “I hope this fucking works.” Looking up towards the ceiling she shook her head before calling out. “Yoongi!” After a moment of silence she tried again, “Yoongi, I have your favorite whiskey. Poured it just the way you like it.” Her saccharine voice still not enough to get the demon to answer. Switching tactics, “Yoongi, I know you can hear me. Stop ignoring me. Get up here right now and talk to me like a fucking adult instead of hiding.”

Minutes seemed to tick by as she waited for the pale demon to show up. Head hung low she closed her eyes in defeat. He wasn’t going to come. Yoongi had abandoned her. She could feel the tell tell sting of tears starting behind her eyes. Grabbing her glass she knocked the spirit back letting the burn of it coating her throat banaish the tears away. “It’s not polite to drink the offering before the person the offering is for.” Wynter almost broke her neck to see where Yoongi stood next to her. 

Apologizing was the first on her list of things to do but seeing him in front of her after so long made her brain short circuit. Much like when the first met he stood leaned against he kitchen counter, an oversized black shirt draped over his frame, with a pair a ripped jeans to tie the whole look together. His shaggy hair was parted down the middle and looked as though he had been running his hands through it. It was the only thing that betrayed his nerves, that and the fact that he kept rubbing the bottom of his scar. 

Taking a sip of his whiskey, Yoongi stood there and watched with light amusement as Wynter tried to find her words. “Gongjunim, did you need something?” His tone playful as Wynter just gazed up at him before putting her glass down on the table. 

“Where the hell have you been?” She seethed. Wynter didn’t think she was that annoyed at him just up and leaving but she apparently was. “I have been worried sick about you. I-”

“I’m a big demon. I can take care of myself.” The interrupted doing nothing irritating her further. 

“I know you’re a ‘big demon’ but you don’t get to just disappear when we get into an argument. You get to sit there like the ‘big demon’ that you are until a resolution has reached.” Wynter’s determined gaze flickered back and forth between the demons wide eyes. Yoongi wasn’t used to people yelling at him, let alone someone who when he last saw them were terrified. Opening his mouth to respond he was swiftly cut off, “We also don’t just get to disappear without a single word or check in either! Understood?” Yoongi gave a stilted nod unsure if speaking was the best route to go. The only other person that ever reprimanded him so thoroughly was his master teacher growing up. 

This was not the way the Wynter saw this apology going but it just tumbled out of her mouth. “Now,” pouring herself another glass, Wynter took a sip before continuing. “I wanted to apologize for what I said to you. It was mean and it was hurtful. You didn’t deserve it and for that I’m sorry.” She hoped the her level gaze conveyed her sincerity. It seemed as though, after searching her gaze for any hint of trickery, Yoongi accepted her apology with a nod and a hum. 

They both silently finished there drink unsure of how to move forward. Yoongi knew he should apologize but the concept of guilt, remorse, and regret were still taking some getting use to. Clearing his throat he glanced over to where Wynter stood next to him. Seemingly dressed up like she went out. A knot formed in his chest at the recognition that she had her date today. Contrary to what she thought Yoongi was still checking in on her and making sure she was doing okay.

“So, uh, how was your date with the shaman,” Yoongi cringed at how he stammered.

Chuckling Wynter brought her glass up to her lips and took a sip, “Well, it was perfect. Namjoon was perfect.” The knot seemed to tighten in his chest at her low mumble. Knowing that he would never be described as perfect. “But.” The word lingered in the air between them as Wynter tried to find the words to explain. 

“But?” 

“I don’t think he’s perfect for me.” Wynter admitted. Yoongi made sure to hide his shock, and satisfaction, behind a neutral look. Turning herself to look into the demons face her eyes seemed to sparkle, “Just didn’t feel right you know?” A light smile graced her lips as she looked up to him, neither of them realizing just how close that they were to each other. Their bodies gravitating towards the other without their knowledge. 

“I see,” Yoongi rotated his body to set his glass behind him on the counter, needing to take a moment to compose himself without her bewitching him. The muted thud of the glass hitting the counter was the only other sound in the apartment. Looking a bit further down the counter he saw a splash of yellow. The Korean iris laid peacefully unaware of the melancholy that was raising in his heart. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached over gently picking it up - admiring it. “Where did you get this?”

Wynter  barely heard his whisper, but when he brought the flower around to show her she smiled and gave a light laugh. “Oh, one of the art exhibits we saw was a room that was a field of faux iris based on a Van Gogh painting. They were all purple and blue irises though, but when I told Namjoon that irises were my favorite-”

“Irises are you favorite?” Yoongi’s soft interruption brought Wynter’s sight from the yellow flower and up to the demons soft features where she could see a sadness lurking. 

“Yeah,” she said just as softly. “They’re my favorite. He used his magic to transform one of the fake purple irises into a Korean irises. I had never seem one before so imagine my surprise when I saw that it was yellow.” 

Wynter’s giddy excitement at the discovery seized Yoongi’s heart. Memories of a past that he longed to forget came forward. A field of bloodsoaked yellow irises burning as he tried to erase every human part of him. Wynter’s face scrunched in concern at the film of unshed tears the showed up in Yoongi’s dark eyes. Gently placing her hand on his wrist she tried to pull him out of whatever memory he was getting stuck in. “Are you okay?” She knew it was a stupid question but she didn’t know how to really comfort a demon. They weren’t suppose to have emotions like this. 

Taking in a shaky breath, Yoongi pulled away from Wynter wiping the moisture out of his eye. “Yeah,” he croaked. “I just haven’t seen one of these in a long time.” Quickly he created a small vase made of white porcelain covered in images of irises done in the distinct style his kingdom was known for. Placing the lone flower in it’s new home perfectly made for it. “A beautiful flower deserves a beautiful place to be admired.”

Wynter felt herself hold her breath at the soft look Yoongi had as he admired his work. She wondered if in the moment if this was the real Yoongi. The romantic ideals of a young prince not yet jaded and corrupted by the power that comes with being king. His feline eyes pinned her in place, caught in her staring. They stood like that, gazes locked,  admiring each other in the soft light of the kitchen. Feeling the start of something blooming in her chest, Wynter’s sharp intake of breath broke the two out of their moment in time. 

Yoongi watched as she rubbed the space of her heart as if trying to soothe the feeling away. He knew it was their bond snapping fully into place for her. Knew that it would only be a matter of time before Wynter begin feeling what he had been. “You should get some sleep.” Picking up the glasses he went and started washing them. Leaving Wynter standing there still rooted in her spot. “I promise I’m not leaving this time.”

Nodding, Wynter walked off to get ready for bed. When he heard the bathroom door click shut, Yoongi allowed himself to relax his body. He didn’t even realize how tense he was until he had came back into her presence. His time away was spent trying to instill trust with the head of prominent factions that he needed on his side, so that they had a fair chance to win against Jungsoo. It wasn’t just that, it was trying to make sure that they also wouldn’t betray him once Jungsoo was taken care of. The power vacuum that was going to happen needed to be filled quickly and that meant promising positions that allowed them to feel in control. 

On top of that, he could feel himself getting closer than ever on breaking down what this curse affect Wynter was, as well as locating Jiyeon. Yoongi needed help though. The squirmishes up top had attracted the attention of small shamans clans looking to gain power. It needed to be nipped in the bud. The padding of Wynter’s feet across the wooden floor pulled Yoongi’s focus. 

Wynter watched as the demon walked around tidying up the apartment as she settled into her bed. When she had walked out and saw that he was still there, she was pleasantly surprised. Once he deemed the place clean enough he shuffled into his side of the bed. They both knew that she didn’t need the comfort anymore but at this point it was a habit neither of them were willing to give up. It felt nice to have a warm body next to her, as she drifted off to sleep.

Yoongi waited as Wynter’s body slowly relax, signaling him to him that she was asleep. He kept is gaze trained on the white ceiling as he racked his brain with what to do next now that he knew that the threat of the shaman was no longer warranted. Now really the only thing in his way was the many ways that he could fuck this up and in turn fuck his beautiful soulmate up. Even without all of the outside forces - the curse, the rebellion, the obvious problem with a witch and demon pairing - Yoongi was most afraid of handling Wynter. He didn’t know how to love. He had crushed that feeling, along with his heart, long ago. He was a monster and he saw that reflected in her eyes. The universe wouldn’t have gifted him Wynter if it knew he would ruin it. 

Shifting Yoongi placed on arm behind his head as he got comfortable. “Wynter,” Yoongi whispered. When he got know response he tried a few more times, even peeking over to see the rhythmic raise and fall of her shoulder. He was glad he was faced away from him on her side. It gave him courage for what he was about to do next. 

“Wynter, I wish this was something that I could tell you while you were awake, but I’m a coward. I’ve been hiding something from you, not really knowing how to tell you. So I hope you don’t mind me practicing while you sleep.” Yoongi felt stupid but if he got the thought out of his head and into the air he knew he would be able to focus on his other responsibilities. “I,” swallowing down the lump in his throat he gathered the courage to trek on, “We are soulmates. I know that if I told you that you’d laugh in my face. Hell I would have laughed in my face to but it’s true. I feel the soul bond we have with each other, which is unbelievable since I have no soul.” 

Yoongi’s quiet  laugh sounded jaded even to his own ears. “But I feel it. Reforming. It’s reforming because it calls out to yours. I wish I had more information or research, but it’s rare. I know you would never choose me. The thought of me as a soulmate should disgust you. I’m a monster.” He didn’t even bother to wipe the tear the slid down his face and onto the pillow below him. “I’m a monster but I would do anything to change that for you. To be better for you. I feel deep in my soul, in my being, that I love you. Fuck, that’s weird to say.” His face broke out with a gummy smile at the relief of finally saying those words out loud, even if sadness of never being able to say the to you cause the tears to keep falling. “I love you. I know that in our deal you promised anything, but I’m afraid that it is me who must live with the reality that it is I who will give you everything.”

[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

between the lines | chapter 08 (finale)

rúben dias x original female character [+18]

synopsis: isabella is a sports journalist covering the premier league. she has sworn to never get involved with a football player. that is, until she meets a handsome portuguese defender. warnings: incorrect journalism references; timeline of events are not faithful to real life; i have never been to england; mutual pining; romantic comedy;  minors dni.

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Chapter 08 — Shooting and Finishing

Days went by smoothly. I tried to spend as much time as possible minding other people's business and concentrating on other people's drama. Hours daily doom scrolling social media. It worked as expected and I managed to stay distracted.

Until I got a promotion at work. Yesterday.

It was the most ordinary day possible at the office, the monotonous hum of the air conditioning filling the room as I sat at my desk, the low voices of my coworkers talking nonsense to each other, somebody somewhere in the office opening a snack thinking no one would notice… The usual. 

And then my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the screen to see a text from my boss, Mr. Evans.

‘Can you meet me in the media room in five minutes?’

My heart pounded as I read the message. I always hated meetings with the boss, they were never ever good news. I headed towards the media room, my footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent corridor, my legs shaking.

When I entered, Mr. Evans was already sitting down, his expression a mix of anticipation and confidence. He gestured for me to take a seat, and I nervously obliged, my palms beginning to sweat.

"Isabella," he began, his voice steady, "I've been observing your dedication and hard work over the past months."

I nodded, my anxiety building with each passing second.

"I believe you're ready for a new challenge," he continued. "I want to offer you a promotion, a better role, with increased responsibilities."

My mind whirled, a thousand thoughts colliding. The promotion was everything I had hoped for, but it was also the very thing I had been avoiding. It meant stepping out of my comfort zone and facing the unknown.

I agreed anyway, and didn't even have to think twice. I just nodded and thanked him. I could feel my legs trembling beneath the table, as if they were on the verge of betraying me. My voice quivered as I responded, "I... I appreciate the offer, Mr. Evans."

He gave me an encouraging nod, his eyes unwavering. He could tell how nervous and like a kind and caring mentor Mr. Evans smiled, a reassuring gesture. "Isabella, fear is a natural part of growth. It means you're stepping into uncharted territory, and that's where true progress lies."

I couldn’t escape reality after that. No amount of idiotic insta posts could keep my thoughts away from the inevitable: I want Rúben. I want to talk to him everyday. I want him in my life. I want to be a part of his life.

So, even scared, even with my legs shaking and heart pounding and all of that. I called him.

‘I have an answer for you’, I wanted to say. Instead, I said:

“I just got a promotion!”

“Isa, congratulations! That 's amazing.” I could hear his smile through the phone, he did not question my phone call and sounded genuinely happy for him. The desire to hug him flooded me.

“Well, you see… I actually got scared when I first heard about it. It seems like a lot of responsibility.” I was twirling my hair fighting the urge to bite my nails.

“What? You think so?” He seemed so worried I almost laughed, but I had a point to make and he needed to know.

“I have commitment issues.” I say loud and clear.

He takes a moment to answer, unsure.

“Are you still talking about the job?”

I shake my head, uselessly, since he can't see me.

“I lost both of my parents when I was too young to know how to deal with it and I never had a serious relationship before.” 

I can hear him sighing over the phone and I use the moment to take a deep breath and proceed. I decide to tell him all at once, before I have the chance to lose courage again.

“I realized something about myself this past week.” I continue. “I tend to focus too much on what’s right in front of me, instead of considering the whole picture. I worry too much about the small emergencies life throws at me and forget about what’s really important.”

“Am I a small emergency?” He interfered, confused.

“No, you’re the important part. You’re the house.”

I make gestures as if he could see me, trying to make him understand.

“The house?” Rúben laughs.

“Yeah… Shit, I kind of ruined the speech, there was a part about a house and leaks and…”

“Isa, are you home?” “Yes–” “Give me fifteen minutes.”

Twenty minutes later and he was towering over my front door wearing a hoodie and rosy cheeks, he looked like he came running to see me. I felt in the moment that I was allowed to hold him as hard as I’ve missed him, so I did.

Rúben held me back and I felt a soft kiss on my neck. He then held my face, making me look him in the eye.

“Is this your answer?” He searched for any sign of doubt in me, but there wasn't any.

“Yes. Yes, I’m not running away again, I promis–” and he kissed me. Before I could finish my sentence he closed the apartment door and still holding me tight, he guided me inside.

“I missed this so much.” His voice was rough, his lips still touching mine as he spoke, going in for another kiss. Rúben was hungry and I shared the same feeling. “I missed you.” He spoke, this time properly looking at me.

“I missed you too.” I told him with a smile, feeling so happy and grateful for his reaction.

He smiled even brighter at my words, looking suddenly relieved. His hands were firm in my waist then, pulling me as close as possible to him.

“Now come here, we have to make up for the lost time.”

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[thedo0zyslider]

I Love You (I'm Not Supposed Too) - Chapter Six: Secrets Kept No More - 4k Words

Fwhip finally finds out what Jimmy wanted to say all those months ago.

A03 Link

The next few days in the Ocean Empire were pretty routine. And boring. Every day is almost the same, save for a few moments when he and Jimmy would either sneak away together, or they got too tired of each other's presence and retreated to their chambers for a few hours. Other than that, they would wake up, and head to the Cod Empire to do whatever needed done. Helping a whole group of people properly establish themselves was a lot of work, work Fwhip hadn’t signed up for. But he helped anyways, because there was nothing else to do, not really.

The work was pretty standard, all things considered. They helped people get back on their feet, did boring government stuff Fwhip always zoned out on, like he did at home, built things, helped with the farms, and sometimes they were even put on babysitting duty. Though the half dragon wasn’t very trusted in that department for a few obvious reasons. Mainly the bigotry and his usual impulsiveness, but he didn’t mind. Fwhip was never a big fan of kids anyways. And then, at the end of the day, when the little tasks were done, they headed back to the Prisma Palace for dinner and whatever the Ocean Queen wanted them to do. If she wanted anything.

The half dragon is given a guest room, one with a giant, plush bed and a lot of decor on the wall. Merfolk liked to line their homes with shell and other such trinkets, as he’d come to notice, and the guest rooms were no exception. Just like the rest of the palace, his room was also very pink and blue and white. Fwhip thinks he could go his whole life without seeing this color palette ever again, and be perfectly content.

One morning, maybe a week or so into the trip, the future Count awakens earlier than normal. He doesn’t know why, but he does know the sun is streaming through his room’s window; meaning he should get out of bed pretty soon. He has a feeling the queen doesn’t take lightly to oversleepers, even if he had helped carry loads of stone and wood and whatnot around the swamp all yesterday and probably needed the extra rest. But whatever, her house, her rules, the ginger supposed.

He dresses in his normal attire, minus the black coat. He hates taking it off, but less layers means he won’t get as sweaty. Especially since he does manual labor most of the day, or a lot of walking. Fwhip was used to extreme heat in the forge, not the humidity of a swamp in the summertime. Also, it’s just less fabric to get all muddy and gross. His poor boots though will need to be deep cleaned when he’s home, all the shoes he brought with him will. It feels like there’s water permanently in the leather nowadays, even when there’s not.

But that’s not the focus right now. The focus is getting ready and then getting breakfast. Ocean cuisine was a little….unusual for his tastes, but he did like a few of the dishes. Disturbing meals including both salmon and cod aside. Thankfully those weren’t usually served at breakfast, so he could avoid them until dinner or lunch time most days. Usually .

Fwhip steps out of his door a few minutes later, right after he finishes his morning routine…..and realizes he doesn't have a clue where the dining hall would be in this gigantic place. He ate there for dinner the previous night, but this place is so huge compared to the Manor. He has no idea how to even get back there, despite having a small tour when he arrived. Also, it would feel very awkward walking in without Jimmy.

He mumbles something to himself, grumpy from another bad night of sleep. It was hard to get any rest with waves constantly roaring all night long. His sleep deprivation, which was worse than normal, was probably making the whole trip more unpleasant than it actually was. The Ocean and its Empire were quite pretty, one had to admit, and the half dragon was sure he’d enjoy it more if it would let him sleep .

The ginger walks down to Jimmy’s room as he grumbles, the only place in the Palace he’s somewhat sure of the location of. That and his guest room. Mostly because they are in close proximity to each other, likely done on purpose, and because they’re the two most important rooms he passes every evening. He thinks he’s figured out where the library (the above water one) is though. He thinks.

He finds the Prince’s room, with less struggle than he had a few days ago. Fwhip only turned the wrong corner a few times! Yesterday he’d done that like, six or seven, so, progress! And while he’s never really…..knocked on Jimmy’s door, he knows the other is awake around this time. The cod had woken him up from a restless sleep far too often, enough that was decently familiar with the others' general sleep shedulce. Visiting him real quick would be fine , especially if he got breakfast at the end of it.

Fwhip opens the door, and he really, really should've knocked. He opens the door to a shirtless Jimmy, presumably in the middle of changing, and it takes the half dragon a good minute of shocked staring to realize that a binder is covering his chest. Jimmy whips his head around to face him, some kind of fear clearly in his gaze. The future Count kinda wants to punch himself for being so stupid.

Once he has that realization, the half dragon feels himself start to fumble out of embarrassment. “Oh, shit , sorry —I didn’t know you were-" He stumbles over his words, feeling a blush start to creep up his face. He politely keeps his gaze on the floor, his hand searching for the doorknob once again. The young prince is not having any of this, and the half dragon can’t really blame him.

“Just leave, okay!?” The cod snaps at him, and Fwhip listens to this guy for what has to be one of the first times ever. He ducks his head back out as soon as he finds the knob again, closing the door behind him with a rather loud slam. Silently, he slides down against the nearest wall, and resists the urge to scream into his own hands. That had been mortifying for him, making that big of a mistake. He can’t even imagine how Jimmy must feel right now, being seen like that. Being seen in what has to be some kind of vulnerable moment, by someone he certainly doesn’t want to be vulnerable with.

He sits there, slumped against the wall for a few minutes; hands running over his face and through his now messy hair. The future Count isn't really sure what to do after…. that . Mainly there are just a lot of things going through Fwhip's head as he sits there. He's pretty flustered, not ever intending to do that, and is sure a fierce blush is currently coating his face. Part of him knows it might be better that he leaves, because Jimmy will very understandably be scared to next confront him. The other part doesn't feel right just leaving. He feels like he needs to apologize. No, Fwhip wants to apologize. He feels bad, which certainly is a new emotion around the young cod.

The castle is still quiet, and it seems their little encounter hadn't disturbed anyone, thank god. Fwhip didn't want their screaming to accidentally out Jimmy to anyone else, for he had already heard some terms the staff used towards the prince. No servants have even begun moving towards the hall yet, and no footsteps can be heard in the distance. The Ocean Empire has rather quiet mornings, as opposed to the Grimlands rather loud and explosive ones. Which is good right now, he supposes. A quiet castle gives you more time to regain your bearings.

There is some shuffling by the door, and the doorknob starts to turn once again. Fwhip, still pretty stricken by the whole ordeal despite his best efforts, looks up in surprise. His suitor doesn't emerge instantly, taking his time to fully leave his bedroom. But when he does, the sight only makes the half dragon feel even more guilty.

Jimmy slowly shuffles out, his bedroom door being shut quietly behind him. Probably not to disturb anyone else in any nearby rooms, if there are any. He's finished changing, now wearing a green tunic. Not a skintight one like merfolk usually wore, but one that was clearly meant for a bigger person. One clearly meant to hide things, Fwhip would now notice. He suspects it isn’t the first time Jimmy has denied his species traditional attire in front of him, and probably won't be the last. The cod's face is red, his eyes puffy, and a weak frown painting his face. Fwhip feels a sinking feeling in his stomach at the thought of Jimmy crying because of him and his dumb mistake.

"Are you okay?" He asks, meeting the others' gaze tentatively. The future Count has no idea if the other is angry at him and, for once, wouldn't blame him if he was.

"I'm fine." Jimmy says, and it is clearly a lie. He's shaking, and leaning on the wall for support. Like he'll collapse and break down if he doesn't do so. It's not hard to believe that he will, either.

"You're shaking, and your eyes are red." Fwhip points out, scanning over the blonde's face. He's been crying his eyes out, that much is clear. So much so that if Lizzie were to walk by, she'd probably punch the future Count on the spot.

"Why do you care?" The cod asks, slumping down next to him. He's even surprised Jimmy wants to sit next to him after that, but he lets it happen anyway. They sit a few inches apart, not enough to touch, but not far enough to feel fully awkward. It's just enough space for the time being.

"Because I'm not stupid. I know what I just did." Fwhip says, feeling a frown stretching onto his face the longer this conversation goes on. He doesn't like the tone the other has, whatever it is. It's upsetting.

Jimmy forces a smile, and lets out a broken sounding laugh. “Well, didn’t want you to see my boobs. But you were gonna one day I guess, since the mar-”

“Don’t.” Fwhip cuts him off, running a hand over his face again. “Please don’t joke about….any of that stuff, okay? Not a good time.” It will come to concern Fwhip slightly, the kind of self hating jokes Jimmy makes about the marriage and himself. Because he'll make more in the future, and the half dragon will have to knock the habit out of him he supposes. “Also, not really our thing.”

“Sorry. Sorry. I know, bad joke. I’m just…a little upset.” The cod mumbles, hanging his head a bit. Not in shame, just lingering embarrassment. Fwhip feels a wrong sort of feeling settling in his stomach, and frowns. “And yeah…that’s not our thing.”

“I know….you’re probably upset.” He says, wholly sincere with Jimmy. Probably for like, the second time ever if he’s being honest. Because he would hate himself if he was anything but sincere under today’s circumstances. They were far too serious for his usual attitude. "Sorry about walking in without knocking or anything…I won’t do it again."

Jimmy takes a moment to respond, the back of his head hitting the wall with a dull thunking sound. "It's fine, really. You were gonna find out eventually. Probably. I just wanted it to be under…different circumstances is all."

Fwhip hums, and wraps his tail around his legs. It had been awkwardly laying on the floor before now, and it was…..strangely comforting to wrap it around himself. Even though he wasn't the one who needed comfort right now. "Sorry about that too."

"Not the worst thing in the world." Jimmy hums, watching his movement. He seems like he's zoning out a little bit, his mind wandering elsewhere. To other things and other trains of thoughts, more troubling ones probably.

"I kinda already knew. Thought I should mention that." Fwhip hums, glancing away to stare at the wall. He doesn't want to see Jimmy’s face when he responds, whatever that response may be.

"Oh?" Is all the cod responds with. He sounds…curious, and only that. Thankfully. Fwhip didn't know if the other would've been angered by that or whatever.

He glances back at Jimmy when he explains it, and is met with a look of slight curiosity. Which is fair, to Jimmy’s credit, he passes very well. Fwhip is just very good at noticing details. “When they told us about the marriage, our parents called you a princess and stuff. And the staff have been too. I just didn't want to assume anything, y'know?"

"Yeah, my mom's probably the reason for that. I didn't take them for… that type of person." The blonde nods, taking the others' explanation into consideration for a moment. The ginger would pay so much money to know what's running through his head right now.

"No, they're not like that." Fwhip confirms, briefly thinking back on his parents. Despite whatever way they might have failed him and his sister before, they had always been nothing but supportive of their children's identities. One of the few good qualities they both shared, if they shared any at all. "I could mention it to them….?"

The offer is said tentatively, but Jimmy looks so incredibly relieved at hearing it. "Please." He says, and Fwhip nods. He cannot help but wonder what hell this boy has been living through for so long, to be so relieved when even the most basic decency is shown to him.

“Sorry about how we left things, when you were forgotten at the manor. By the way.” The half dragon adds, somehow remembering to say sorry for that. Take that , memory issues. “I was just….I was starting to guess and didn’t know how to ask you.”

“It’s okay..” Jimmy says, trying to crack a smile. It's weaker than he would probably like it to be, but it's a start. Fwhip grins back, and neither of them have anything more to say. Not immediately, at least.

“You don’t…have a problem with it do you?” Jimmy nearly whispers the question into the silence. They've been sitting in quiet for a few minutes, and Fwhip had grown content to stare at the Palace's prismarine walls until one of them decided to move again.

Fwhip tilts his head to the side curiously, a little scared of what the other is about to ask. “With what?”

“With me being….with me having girl stuff. And you having to marry that. ” Jimmy spits out some of the words with such venom, that Fwhip is shocked by it. He feels a surprising wave of pity wash over him, for this boy he hates so much, and it's the first time ever he has to stop himself from hugging the young cod.

“No, I don’t. Why the hell would I?” He says, like it is the easiest thing to say. Because it is. To the blonde it's something he never expected to hear.

“Oh…” Jimmy sounds…..so genuinely surprised at his answer. “It’s just…some people would. Some people do. ”

“Those people suck.” His answer is spit out in an instance, full of more passion than he thought was possible. Those people do suck. They suck a lot .

“Yeah.” Jimmy agrees meekly, hesitantly slumping down and resting his head on the half dragon's shoulder. Fwhip lets him do so, not caring that a merfolk is touching him right now. He needs it a lot right now, he figures.

They sit in the silence for a few seconds once more, in the white and blue hallway of the Prisma Palace. Two people who should, and do, hate each other, but aren't really acting like it. They haven't had the energy to act like it for a while, Fwhip thinks, with how shit everything is. How the world constantly throws terrible things at the both of them and expects the boys to just cope . That's what it feels like, anyways.

Maybe it'll be better when they're older.

"You do know you're not the only one of us who's like that, don't you?" Fwhip mumbles, his cheek now resting against the blonde's head. He doesn't know how long they've been in the hallway, but the palace hasn't started its normal routine yet. So he guesses it can't have been too long. Maybe one of the maids or cooks will find them, and ask why in the bloody hell two royals are sitting in a dirty hallway, cuddling.

Jimmy gets a little excited, as told by his tail smacking the wall a few times before he realizes it's moving. "No…?"

"Well, Xornorth’s nonbinary, and Sausage is pretty gender nonconforming.” Fwhip says, trying to remember everyone who's come out so far. He doesn't know all their labels, if some people have any, but he tries his best to get them right. “And Shrub isn't entirely a girl."

"Oh…I didn't know that." Jimmy hums, sounding happier than he had before. The half dragon briefly wonders if, when the thirteen of them are together again, that a labels debrief would make some people feel more included.

"None of us are straight either, I don’t think." Fwhip might’ve not been up to date on all the labels, but he was pretty sure of that fact. That their whole group were all horribly not straight in some way, some more obviously than others.

Jimmy lets out an amused snort at that. "Of course." That's the right phrase for it really, of course . Of course all the royal children are queer as hell. Of course most of their parents suck too. How else would it be with their little group?

"Why're you being so nice to me over this?" The cod adds on after a moment, cautious, and has every right to be so.

Fwhip resists the urge to roll his eyes, and spits out the honest truth. He really wonders if Jimmy thought that lowly of him before, say, maybe twenty to thirty minutes ago. The half dragon wouldn’t be surprised if he did, not after everything. "I don't like you and I think you're annoying as hell, but I'm not cruel ."

"Thanks for that, I guess." Jimmy mumbles, sounding shocked and surprised again. Fwhip hears that tone, he’s heard it too many times today, and truly starts to wish the world would be kinder to this poor fishboy. Sans himself and his very justified hatred, of course.

"Don't thank me for treating you like a human being." The half dragon snorts, and fixes Jimmy with a look . He’s pretty sure the meaning of it goes right over the blonde’s head, too. The utter idiot “And we have that truce, remember? No being assholes ‘till we’re hitched?”

“Yeah…the truce. Almost forgot about that.” Jimmy mumbles, sounding a little thoughtful once again. Maybe he’s been full of thoughts this whole time, and Fwhip’s just shit at noticing. Or he’s running out of words to describe the cod, because they have never interacted like this before. He has a very limited vocabulary when it comes to describing Jimmy. Today he is running out of words he hasn’t used, and also adding new ones. “We’re not good at following it, are we?” Jimmy keeps talking, and Fwhip barely hears him, lost in his own thoughts it seems. He hated how easy that was to do.

(Adding new ones like sad , and mistreated , and stressed , and traumatized and a whole bunch of other words he has no more room for in the half dragon’s never ending whirlwind of a mind.)

“No, but I like to think we’ve gotten better.” He mumbles out a response, taking a few precious seconds to clear his head. They’ve certainly gotten better, or at least more tolerable of each other’s presence, because Fwhip isn’t pinning Jimmy into a wall and holding him hard enough to bruise anymore. They had to have gotten better, because his mental health hasn’t. Both of their have probably gotten worse over the years, actually.

“We have to be. Because they’re all buying it. Every single one of them.” Jimmy says, and it’s the most confident he’s sounded in a while, and will sound all day. He also sounds more than a little scared, and Fwhip can’t help but share the sentiment a bit.

“Good. Good.” He mumbles, and doesn’t want to admit that he feels some of the same fear. They are going along with this whole thing out of fear, it’s the whole reason why they’re even sitting here in the first place. Fear of judgment, of failure of duty, of disappointment. Of what their parents would say. Even if they don’t really talk about it, both of them know that’s what’s happening. Body language always says a lot more than both the boys wish it would.

Jimmy changes the topic back to their earlier, less daunting one. It seems a lot still weighs on his mind, which is to be expected with a situation and life like this. "I want to get…the surgery for it, but, ah.…my mum won't let me.."

"Well, maybe you can get it before the wedding….?" Fwhip threw out the suggestion lightly, and gave a small shrug of his shoulders. Before the wedding was a vague timeframe. Realistically, that could be as soon as they’re both legal adults, or within the next five years. But it was a time frame that they could aim for, and that was better than nothing. And if Jimmy's mom wouldn’t let him get that surgery, than Fwhip would be the one throwing him in front of the healers instead, shitty parents be damned.

He’d really had enough of shitty parents recently.

"Hmph, maybe…" Jimmy mumbles. He hopes the sound in the other’s voice is hope, faux or real. They need some positive emotions right now, he’s already feeling emotionally drained from the guilt and the shame and whatnot. It’s not even seven in the morning, either.

“The truce extends to that too, by the way.” Fwhip adds, nudging the others shoulder with his own. He feels a grin start to bloom on his face. One of his shit-eating ones that always makes Gem groan and Sausage mirror it.

The cod gives him a confused look, his face scrunching up with the feeling. He’s not despondent anymore, so that’s a win for Team Fwhip! Sadly the only win today, but he might get some more as the hours wear on, especially if he keeps this attitude up. “Whaddya mean?”

“That means if someone’s being a transphobe, I get to deck them in the face. Even when we're married.” Fwhip explains, his grin getting larger. He does one of his normal hand gestures as he speaks, like he does with all his other explanations. Jimmy, well accustomed to the half dragon’s quirks, pays it no mind.

“Even my mum?” Jimmy asks, and sounds a little stupid when he does.

Fwhip nods, and feels tension unknot itself and leave the cod’s body from where they’re still pressed together. “Even your mom.”

“Heh, thanks.” Jimmy giggles, eventually having to muffle the laughter with his hand after a few minutes. Aannddd that’s two wins for team Fwhip, all within a minute or so of the last one. He better savor these — and this rare companionship with Jimmy — while the moment allows and before their normal bickering starts up once again.

“Again, don’t thank me.” Fwhip shrugs again, his tail finally uncurling from around himself. He doesn’t need any comforting measures, not immediately anyways. The tense and upset mood from earlier is long gone, now replaced with something lighter, even if both the royal’s hearts are still heavy with a lot of things.

“Force of habit, being polite is.” The cod says, his own tail swishing dully against the floor. It’s good to see he’s cheered up, and not crying anymore. And also not having to think about all the terrible treatment he receives. It’s good.

“So I’ve noticed.” Fwhip snorts, watching as the other starts to stand up. Jimmy gives all his limbs a stretch, since they’re still probably stiff from the night’s rest, and then holds a hand down to the other boy. The half dragon takes it without any complaint, or grumbles under his breath about having to touch a fish. Jimmy just helps him up, and it's probably the most simple yet complex interaction they’ve ever had. To date, anyways.

The Prince then starts to move down the hallway, past his door to where Fwhip thinks the dining hall is. The dining hall and a million other passageways and rooms he can’t remember. Dumb castles and their dumb, beautiful architecture. “Let’s go get breakfast, or something.”

“And where are we going after that?” The ginger follows behind, already mentally preparing himself for another six or more hours of helping the dumb cod people out. Him and Jimmy might be cool for today, but that doesn’t mean he suddenly likes all that mud and grime the swamp carries. Jimmy hums, sounding a little cheeky, and like he has his own shit-eating grin now smeared across his face. “Well, mom never said we had to be in the Cod Empire today. I was just scheduled there for three days this week…”

“So we’re getting a free day?” Fwhip thinks everything about him visibly lights up, from his voice to his demeanor. The mere thought of a free day, of finally being able to hide in his guest room, or the castle’s library, or wherever this dumb kingdom invented stuff, was enough to make his tail wag slightly. Anything, literally anything , but the horrible swamps and gross water again was going to make him beam.

“Basically, yeah.” Jimmy confirms, turning a corner without even thinking. Fwhip envy's everyone who has the dumb Palace mapped out already, and doesn’t struggle getting around. So he basically envies everyone who lives there.

“Finally, time away from you.” The ginger huffs, gloved hands being shoved in his coat pockets. He tries to commit the winding corridors to memory again, and hopes it goes a little better this time.

“Finally.” Jimmy agrees, right as they reach the dining hall for breakfast. Either they walked really fast for some reason, or Fwhip’s memory of the place truly is horrible. He never thought it was that close to the bedrooms. But hey, they’re not serving fried salmon for breakfast again today, so as long as that keeps happening, he won’t complain about the proximity to food. Especially if a free day follows after it. He rarely ever gets free days, here or at home There’s always something, some project or dumb responsibility thing, to do. But now he’s finally getting one after what has to be months , maybe even years.

Maybe his stay in the Ocean won’t be so bad after all.

[vro0m]

I'm really late to the whole George/Lewis discussion but I just read thru your anons and your answers and I do agree with everything you said but one thing I wanna add is that Lewis also isn't comfortable in the car. Do I think George is a good driver? Yes. But I think when Lewis finally feels 100% in control of that car, like he did in the old regulations, he will be a lot more dominant over him. Because Lewis knows the car is tricky, I don't think he gives it his full 100% ALL the time cuz he's aware that if he pushes too hard, the car could end up in the wall and he'd obviously rather finish the race. It's like with Verstappen now. He knows that car is good, and he's not afraid to push to the absolute limit if not teetering on the edge. I know there have been at least two times where he was like "oop almost lost it" cuz he basically zoned out but bc that car is so good, he obviously is able to regain control so quickly. Lewis doesn't trust it like that. He basically has to focus more on making sure the car behaves rather than fully pushing it (not that the W14 is that fast anyway). If that makes sense?

Hi! Yeah he's not confident in the car. It's showing AND he said so. Honestly I kind of purposefully avoided this topic yesterday because I might be too biased about it.

I am inclined to think it might not be so easy for George to keep up with Lewis once the car works better, because Lewis will be able to try more things racecraft-wise and that's where he's making most of the difference, like you. At the same time, like we were saying yesterday, George is currently making too many mistake and lacking self-control when it comes to racing. If they were to suddenly have a RB level of car performance tomorrow, I think Lewis would come out on top. But also I deeply wish for it to be so, so I don't trust myself to see all the elements feeding into it and confidently assert that it would be the case and justify it with anything else than essentially "I personally believe that Lewis is currently the most complete racer on the grid".

One thing that's undeniable and works in Lewis' favor is the fact that Lewis has so much more experience than George, both when it comes to racing and when it comes to racing at the top. Like we also mentioned yesterday, the young drivers tend to unravel a bit once they get there because of the added pressure and like Anon very aptly said then (I really liked the way they put it) :

"I think experienced drivers like Lewis and Alonso are like sharks drawn to blood when they sense someone is possibly prone to mistakes under pressure"

So I think it will depend in part on when they get a good enough car and whether George has more self-control by then. It also depends on George's actual optimal performance, as in : when driving at the top in a competitive car, which we haven't seen yet and is therefore difficult to estimate at this point.

Finally, there's also the possibility that Lewis won't ever get a car that fits him as perfectly as the ones he had with the old regs. I believe they will eventually get a competitive car again but first of all, once again : when? and second of all : competitive doesn't necessarily mean as good a match as he had then or Max has now. So there's also the question of George and Lewis' adaptability and that's also difficult to discuss because we don't really know what it is they have to grapple with in setting up the car etc. It is said Lewis has tried more extreme set-ups last year. All in all, it seems a lot of the times George has had a better set up than Lewis this year, at least for quali? Like I said yesterday, even with a difficult car, it's still an upgrade for George whereas it's a downgrade for Lewis. This is completely arguable because I don't have enough elements to have an informed opinion on it, but maybe George has less difficulty adapting to the car at the moment than Lewis. If that's the case, that might or might not change as the car gets better, depending on the car's characteristics and their interaction with their personal driving styles as well.

So I find it difficult to make that call with a good enough level of confidence, but I hope and want you to be right! Deep down in my heart, I subjectively believe you are.

[tobiasdrake]

Time to start up the sixth chapter, Chapter 4!

By process of elimination, I get to hang out with Vivia this time around. Who might be planning to slit my throat with a box cutter. Which. I mean. I have murdered quite a lot of people, so fair's fair. I'm not gonna fault him that.

I'm so excited!

Last we saw these characters, Kurumi was dragging Yuma away to "investigate". Nice to see Halara realized someone should go chaperone those two kids and make sure they stay on-task.

Or Yakou had a moment to sit down and go, "Wait, did I just assign Yuma-supervision duties to the rando? She might actually be an enabing influence. Halara, please fix my terrible mistake."

(She is, in fact, an enabling influence.)

My money's still on Dohya District. I think they flooded Dohya on purpose to disguise the entrance to their secret lab. Creating a place that would be supremely difficult to access. Or, at least, it would be for anyone who did not own a submarine.

Is this seriously our plan? Just walk around the city knocking on doors and going, "Hi, is this a secret lab? No? Okay, have a nice day."

Halara's offering this up as evidence that the secret lab must exist. If it wasn't real, why would they be trying so hard to hide it from us?

But. Like. Disgruntled ex-Amaterasu staff launched a terrorist attack against the city, like, yesterday - and Yomi got blue-balled over it in the middle of his big "taking down the terrorists" moment.

There are reasons why Yomi might be going on a law-and-order purge of disgruntled ex-Amaterasu staff right now other than "He wants to keep us from finding the secret lab." Does he even know that we know about the lab? That's not something anyone ever told us; Vivia happened to overhear it while using whatever remote-viewing or bird's-eye Forte he has.

Yomi doesn't have much reason to suddenly panic and go, "Oh shit, the Master Detectives are gonna find the secret lab!'' and then start activating extreme-measures contingencies like Halara's implying.

Well. Unless the new sub's bugged like Halara suggested. Hmm.

You fucking poser. I know you're only saying that to look cool. I know that because you do all kinds of flashy shit, most of which involves beating cops within an inch of their life and occasionally drowning them in the river.

Which, by the way, is extremely cool. You set out every morning to look as badass as humanly possible, and you succeed. I would tip my hat to you but it's a floofy piece of fabric that doesn't tip.

I do not, as a matter of fact. However, before you continue, I will say that a restricted area is where I would most expect a secret facility to be. Of any kind. That seems like the logical location. Why have we been knocking on doors in Kamasaki all morning if a place called "The Restricted Area" exists?

Waste of my fucking morning. Y'all owe me a breakfast burrito KANAI WARD SIGNATURE MEAT BUN.

You have a lot of courage and spirit, Kurumi. And an impressive ability to dodge cops. But your judgment needs work. Holy shit.

Why are you only bringing this up now? How long have you been sitting on this? You have not been a very good informant, Kurumi.

"They're doing strange experiments on homunculi somewhere in the city but no one knows where or what or how. We need to learn more."

"I mean, there's a forbidden zone that no one is ever, ever allowed to enter but the corpses of the dead are allegedly being trucked in there for mysterious reasons. Weird, huh? Anyways, no idea about those homunculi. I'll see if I can find anything out."

This is something you should have told me about on the rooftop, when you were first telling me that homunculi are a thing. I'm super mad at you right now. We could have all been choking to death from toxic gas days ago.

SHAME ON YOU. Not one minute ago you were saying

And now that we have a lead, you're like, "Mm, nope, sounds fake." You don't even follow your own advice; You just say things to look cool, you fucking poser.

Yeah, that's right, I caught you posing.

I don't know if I trust you to handle this yourself anymore. Maybe you should take Kurumi with you. She's bad at making logical connections but she has an open mind, so you two can cover each other's shortcomings.

I mean. Yeah. Despite everything, they truly are.

[seedlessmuffins]

there’s something so important, about that win yesterday. not only did we beat a team that has stanley cup aspirations, which has two of the best players in the world on their team (which we shut down), overall it was a stunning performance from every single player on the ice. from jt miller’s five points, to boeser’s four goals, to demko’s .955 save percentage with the flu to the introduction of hughes as the captain in a stunning fashion, across the board it was a great night not only for the team, but for the fans 

(full tactico thoughts below the cut)

what we saw last night was a full team effort, not just the top 6 forwards and top 2 defensive pairings clicking. everyone across the line up was pulling their weight and clicking into place last night. because of injuries, illness, and our salary cap situation, we ended up playing with a player less, and with 11 forwards and 6 defensemen. this meant that the bottom 3 wingers especially needed to play more then they usually would, against the tough opponent of the most complete oilers team they have ever iced since they drafted mcdavid. and the bottom five did exceptionally well in the positions they put themselves in!! 

lafferty, for being a new acquisition, knew exactly what he was doing. he positioned himself well, especially during the pk, right near the goal and was always in a good place to either pass or get the puck within shooting range of the net. he is such a smart player, drawing that penalty in the third is absolute genius and he just knows where to move within his line and how to create a good pass. i think hoglander worked well with him, as he made some nice little plays especially behind the edmonton net during one of the power plays (i think in the third period?) to keep possession of the puck. i was glad to see him make the roster, i think he’s a smart player and a solid person to have on the 4th line. 

i adored joshua’s game, honestly he was one of the standouts of the night for me. he was willing to use his body, not only to block shots on the pk but also to drop the gloves less than 5 minutes into the game, but he was also able to position himself well to be in scoring positions and it paid off as he scored the 8th and final goal for the canucks. joshua is one of my favourite players, and i hope he continues doing well this season both with his physicality and his scoring, he is nothing but an asset and really is a necessary staple of our third line at this point. 

the hirose/juulsen pairing did well when they were on the ice, nothing notable, however the cole/meyers pairing was incredible. very physical, both in hits and blocking shots, able to get back quickly and had some nice puck distributions, and other then meyer’s stupid penalty in the first period, they were great. ian cole is an amazing addition to the team and i can’t wait to see what more he will do, especially on the pk, he was excellent and i can’t wait to see more. 

the “pbj” line of di guiseppe, boeser, and miller was incredible and so productive. near the net all night, lighting the lamp, excellent puck possession and was able to fight the hard battles in the corners. of course boeser’s 4 goals deserve to be celebrated, they were incredible (especially the first goal? sexy, sexy hockey), but di guiseppe and miller’s passes made it possible for boeser to finish the passes with incredible accuracy. these guys also did great work on the pp, they made up an excellent second unit to keep the pressure in the edmonton zone without the stars on the ice, and i think boeser got his groove back. lets see 30+ goals this season.

tocchet really loaded up the top line and the top d pairing, with hughes/hronek and garland/pettersson/kuzmenko as the top lines. i thought both lines did an excellent job not only creating chances, but also shutting down the mcdrai line when they were both out at the same time. petey had some stunning, sexy passes (i’m still thinking about his first pass to garland for the first goal,,,, holy shit that was sexy) and garland was able to hold his weight and finish the chances he was given practically on a platter. kuzya had a quiet night, but he made some productive moves to keep possession and he was able to keep the puck in the offensive zone during pp time so i’m not mad at how he played, i know he will only improve from here. hughes/hronek were exceptionally productive, both in passing and in blocking shots, and they had mcdavid shut down all night. the oilers not registering a single high danger scoring chance AT ALL at 5v5 with petey on the ice?? yeah that’s my selke candidate right there

and demko, how can i forget about thatcher demko? he made save after save, and the dmen gave him space to do so every time. he had a clear line of vision, and he used it. he made some incredible saves and came away with a save percentage that reflected that, all while having the flu! shoutout to desmith, though he only was in for 10 minutes he made some strong saves and didn’t look as nervous between the pipes as he did during the preseason. i’m glad he settled in nicely.

overall, we worked very well as a team. special teams were cooking, goalies were cooking, everything looked cohesive. there were some big hits, from joshua, meyers, and petey notably, and some good blocks. other then the first 5 minutes of the first period, and some sloppy passing in the middle, it was a strong, dominant game. we choked the life out of the oilers, even getting noted most boring man in the nhl to make salty comments about our decisions. i'm most proud of how we handled ourselves in the third, as edmonton were losing their heads with sloppy hits and stupid penalties, we kept ourselves together.

we fucking won. it was a great game. i'm so excited for this season. see you on saturday in edmonton.

[munsonmaniac]

Coping

Friends to lovers? We’ll see!

Warnings: None, I don't think. If you think of any, feel free to tell me and I'll add them!

WC: almost 3K

A/N: This is loosely based off of something that happened/ is happening to me, so this is very self-indulgent. This is the first fic I have ever published so please be gentle with me, it's also not proofread lol. I would love to hear your feedback! 

Prologue/Chapter 1 

October 18, 1985 

“Please just do me this favor and come with us!” pleaded Y/N. There was a pause on the other end of the phone, as if he was really considering not going, but he would do anything for her. “And why do you want me to go? Aren’t Steve and Robin going?” his tone teasing. “I know Steve will try to flirt with the first girl he sees and Robin…, she and Vicky are on the rocks so we have an extra ticket… c'mon please go with me!”. He let out a disgruntled sigh, “Fine! But I’m not dancing or whatever it is you do in those kinds of concerts!”. With a squeal and a million thank yous she hangs up the phone. 

Whitney Houston. Y/N had invited the resident “satanic” metal head to a Whitney Houston concert. Steve was going to see which pretty girl he could charm next, Robin was the one to bring the idea up to everyone. She had overheard last month that Vicky loved Whitney; she bought 4 tickets to her concert in Indie to try to impress her. It did not work. Vicky and Robin were not necessarily putting a name to their relationship but yesterday Robin saw her get a little too close for comfort to a jock, safe to say they are not on speaking terms. It was a slap in the face to Robin. She tried so hard and yet, she seemed to get nowhere with Vicky. Y/N and Steve tried to cheer her up, telling her that she did not need someone like that in her life. The perfect revenge would be to go to that concert, take a bunch of polaroids and show them off at school on Monday, even if she was impartial to Ms. Houston. 

Y/N, on the other hand, loved Whitney, her soulful voice was the reason she was the most attracted to her. She knew Eddie didn't listen to that kind of music and going to one of those concerts would be far out of his comfort zone but she wanted to take any opportunity she could to be close to him. Pressing up to him in a cramped concert hall, while the world's greatest love songs are being sung to them would be perfect. Their relationship was odd. They were good friends, meeting through Dustin at the beginning of August but knowing of each other for years before. Before officially meeting, there were longing glances and lingering touches in passing. Eddie had thought she was the prettiest girl when he had first seen her 2 years ago. She looked like a raging bitch but was entirely soft spoken and gentle, he was intrigued. Y/N on the other hand, made quick friends with Robin, she was the new girl and needed guidance. Coming from another state in the middle of sophomore year meant that she was being interrogated by each established clique to see where she would fit. She had a pretty face, the popular kids ready to corrupt her and add her to their rotating roster. Yet she was incredibly intelligent, far too intelligent to be manipulated like they liked to do to each other. Robin quickly gravitated towards her and they have been best friends ever since. After Robin got a job at Scoops, and she befriended Steve, they became a trio. An unlikely one at that, Steve was one of the popular kids that actually liked Y/N when she first arrived, he just didn't talk to her. Being friends with Steve meant being friends with a slew of middle schoolers, one of them being Dustin Henderson. The boy loved Y/N. He liked to call Steve and Y/N mom and dad, respectively. Dustin met his idol in Eddie, quickly adding him to the party and the rest is history. 

Eddie was everything to her, the first boy who took genuine interest in her, though she had been warned about him. Aside from the bad rep he got from being a “freak”, the girl’s locker room was buzzing about what he could do and who he had done. It was Hawkin’s best kept secret. Every girl secretly wanted him for what he could offer but many fell for him. He was not the relationship type and made it clear to anyone who wanted to bed him. Yet, Y/N saw more in him than just a skilled body, she saw the kindness he showed his sheep, his passion for D&D and his music. She felt first hand how it is to be in his circle of friends, how funny and genuine he is. It was entirely too easy to develop a crush on him, but she was still wary of his intentions. 

A rapid knock at her window pulled her back from her walk down memory lane. She quickly made her way over to the window to see Eddie. He adorned a cheeky smile that showed off his dimples. She opened the window and stepped to the side to let him in. With agility, he climbed the garden ladder up to her second story bedroom. He had been coming to visit her for a few weeks now, not getting enough of her at school. 

“And to what do I owe this lovely surprise?”, the sarcasm dripping from her tone makes him smirk, “I just wanted to see your beautiful face, sweet cheeks, that's all.” she simply rolls her eyes and smiles. The flirtatious undertone of their meeting was not lost in them, they knew how this would look to anyone else, but to them, they are just friends catching up. 

He flops on her bed and stares up at her form, still by the window but now facing him. Her short shorts and oversized Fleetwood Mac shirt did very little to hide her curves. He could stare at her all day, admiring every hill and valley of her figure. “So, when is this concert and where, you can't invite me somewhere and not give me the details, you could be a murder for all I know!”, the cheeky smile has not left his face, yet she gives him a deadpan look. “If I was a murderer, then why’d you come to my house, where there are no witnesses, a bit dumb don’t you think?” She walks to her bed, her eyes never leaving his, and sits on the edge, close to his thigh. The heat radiating from him makes her shiver slightly and he lets out a chuckle, “ you mean to tell me we are all alone in your big house?”. They had been over this before, he had been trying to get her to kiss him, show him her boobs, anything, but she always declined.  “You know our deal, Eds. I'm not doing anything without a proper date.” she sighs, mentally exhausted from the constant back and forth. Just like he had a reputation, she did too, she was a prude. She had been asked out by a few boys in her 2 years in Hawkins High but she declined each time. She knew what they were after and she wasn’t ready for that, she was a hopeless romantic and she would not lose her virginity to just anyone. With Eddie it was different, he was different, they made stupid jokes and dirty comments towards each other but he cared for her. He remembered little things about her, things that most people overlooked. He was attentive and loving towards her, she was hooked. “I know, I know! I just like to tease you.” He gives her a small smile. “The concert is tomorrow in Indianapolis, we want to leave around noon to get there on time and grab something to eat before.” he nods, “Steve is driving by the way.” she interjects nervously, he frowned. 

Now, Eddie was not jealous of Steve, but Steve had everything. Steve had money and was well liked by most of the town. Steve was friends with the most important people of his life before he was. Dustin and Y/N had a bond with him that he will never understand. For her though, he would suck it up. 

It was a little past midnight when Eddie finally left Y/N’s house. They talked for about 2 hours, about everything and nothing at all. They enjoyed each other's company but they had to get everything ready for their little road trip to the concert. The next day, Steve called her to make sure that he would go pick up Eddie as well, they talked more about Robin and how to help her out of her funk. Y/N started getting ready, showered, picked out her outfit, did her hair and make-up. She looked stunning, she hoped that Eddie would think so too. 

Worry started creeping up on her. What if this is too much, her skirt is a bit too short, what if he gets the wrong idea? No one knew, for sure, the nature of their relationship. When they hung out as a group there was a tension that was almost suffocating. Their innuendos and dirty comments were common occurrences but they were becoming more targeted at one another. They always happened to sit next to each other and make conversation with one another, essentially shutting everyone else out. Y/N would ALWAYS ride with Eddie, when she used to always ride with Steve, they enjoyed their alone time. Everyone knew, but not for sure. 

Dustin was in denial, he always envisioned Y/N with Steve, they always took care of him together. That's not to say that Dustin thought Eddie was a bad guy, quite the opposite, he was his idol but he knew. Dustin knew Eddie’s reputation, he knew that he didn't do relationships and he also knew that Y/N had a tender heart. He knew it wouldn't end well. Eddie and Y/N also knew of Dustin’s disapproval of whatever it was that they had, he wasn't subtle with his frowns and glares, so they decided to keep their private meetings to themselves. For all anyone knew, they only hung out as a group. 

Steve was due to pick her up at any moment, she put her purse together, made sure she had her wallet and her keys before she skipped down stairs to wait for him. Before she made it all the way down stairs, she heard a knock. Walking quickly, she opened the door, there stood a handsome and chipper Steve, she could see a sad and slumped Robin in the passenger seat of his BMW. Looking back up at Steve, she grinned and greeted him. “All set to go?”, he questioned her, taking her in. He always thought she was pretty but he was so head over heels over Nancy, that he never cared to talk to her until he became friends with Robin. “I’m ready! Remember, we need to pick up Eddie!” she chirped away as she locked her door, her mother probably not coming home until late from her shift at the hospital. 

They got in the car and drove off towards the trailer park. With kind words and stupid jokes, they cheered up Robin before making it to Eddie's house. Before Y/N could go knock on Eddie's door, Steve honked his horn, signaling their arrival. Eddie came out of the trailer, handsome as ever. A plain black t-shirt adorned his chest, matching his ripped skinny jeans and leather jacket. He made his way to Steve's car and sat in the backseat with Y/N and they were off to Indianapolis. The car ride was long and full of arguing over music and Eddie annoying Steve by asking “Are we there yet?”. They finally made it to Indie with an hour before the concert started so they stopped at a nearby burger joint. Everyone ordered and enjoyed their meals, making jokes and small talk, clearly needing to leave the confinement of the cramped car. When the bill came, Eddie paid for himself and Y/N, causing Steve to raise a brow, he always paid for her. Robin was not surprised. Y/N told her everything, she was the only one that knew for sure, the feelings that Y/N held for Eddie. She thought it was cute, but she was cautious of Eddie at first, she knew his type. Yet the more she saw them interact, the more genuine he seemed. She was rooting for them, if she couldn’t be happy with her crush, she was happy Y/N could be with hers. The ride to the venue had them buzzing, even Eddie who was not a fan. They entered the venue and raced to get as close as possible to the stage. The venue was packed, making them stand VERY close together, Eddie and Y/N taking full advantage of that. They were having a good time, enjoying the music and taking lots of Polaroids, as per requested by Robin. At some point a very drunk man kept bumping into Y/N, nearly spilling his beer on her. Eddie was quick to pull her into him, putting her in front of him, as if shielding her. The girl’s face was getting hot, he put one arm loosely over her upper chest and swayed with her as “Saving All My Love For You” played. This is the life she wanted, to feel this loved and protected by him. The happiness was radiating off of her, Steve looked at them but didn't comment, especially after Robin stomped on his foot for staring. As the concert came to a close and they started filing out of the venue and to Steve's car, the group talked about what they liked the most of the concert, Eddie not letting go of Y/N’s hand. When they got to Steve’s car Eddie opened the door for Y/N. The car ride back was quiet, everyone tired from standing. Eddie noticed her tired eyes and scooted closer to her, she put her head on his shoulder and her right hand on his left leg and drifted to sleep. 

A gentle shake of her shoulder startled her awake. She looked around in a panic, she was in Steve's car, the gentle hand was adorned with chunky rings, Eddie. “We’re at your house.” he whispered gently. Afraid of startling her. She nodded her head softly and sluggishly gathered her things, whispering a goodbye and thank you to Steve and Eddie, as Robin was still asleep. The boys made sure she got into her house safely before they drove off. Steve looked at Eddie through the rearview mirror, he was skeptical of him. Y/N was like another best friend to him, he wanted to ask what Eddie's intentions were but he knew how that would look. Steve liked Eddie enough, Henderson made sure to express his admiration for him, so he couldn’t be too bad. Right? He seemed to like Y/N, as more than a friend, Steve just wanted her to be happy. She deserved to be with someone who would love her, he wasn't too sure that Eddie would be able to do that for her. He’s heard things. Tires hit gravel, startling Robin awake. “No, take me home first!” she groaned out, Steve was ready to get rid of Eddie first, not wanting to ask any questions. “I’m already on my way to drop off Munson, I'll take you after.” he mumbled out, Robin grumbled something under her breath and went back to sleep. Steve parked the car in front of Eddie's trailer and Eddie got out giving a silent nod to Steve as a thank you. 

Steve can’t take it anymore, if anyone knows anything, it would be Robin. He calls her name and shakes her awake, Robin tries to swat at him. “I need to ask you something, wake up.” he begs her. “What? Can’t this wait for later, dingus?” she mumbles. He ignores her question and starts driving toward her house “What's going on with Y/N and Munson? Are they like a thing?”Robin sits up quickly. “I don't know what you are talking about,” she says unconvincingly. Steve gives her a look, “Fine, Y/N likes him, and he seems to really like her!” Robin sighs, feeling relief flood her, a weight being lifted off her shoulders. “I don't trust him, not with her.” he takes a big breath and she looks at him as if he grew 3 heads, “I think he’s being real, he’s gentle with her.” Robin tries to reason with him. “We’re all gentle with her, it doesn't mean anything. Something’s not right and I don't know what.” his negativity angers and baffles Robin. “Just because you like her and she likes him, doesn't make him a bad guy!” she exclaims but she’s wrong, Steve doesn't like her, not like that. “I’m just looking out for her! Do you want her first relationship to be with him? You've heard what they say about him!” he explains as he parks in front of her house. “Whatever. Just don't ruin this for her.” she gets her things and slams the car door, leaving Steve alone with his thoughts.

 A/N: Woah, that was a long one. I hoped ya'll enjoyed!

[georgiapeach30513]

They were definitely setting PH up to be an awards contender, in my humble opinion. I think the way the film was shot and the cast they chose, they were hoping for this type of receive. Initially anyway.

The problem like you and everyone else who commented, the film wasn’t bad at all but it wasn’t amazing. The story didn’t go places that other stories similar hadn’t already gone. I think it really goes to show how important a good script is to making a good film. This script was middle of the road and the direction was also middle of the road. A shame - I like David Yates and what he did for Harry Potter and I give him credit for completely stepping out of his past decade plus fantasy zone to do something like this. It didn’t quite work but I think we can see he pulled some really strong performances - at least out of Chris E.

I see more and more ppl are pleasantly surprised by his performance and also how the film is actually doing on streaming. A movie like this that had no press tour due to the strike and virtually no real SM promotion and less than stellar critic reviews but still raising general interest - as of yesterday it was the most searched drama on streaming overall.

It means ppl will still click when they see a film like this and likely when they see the lead actors in the film. People will watch for themselves if they wish and make their own decisions. Don’t be sheep.

It’s a sad thing to see so many “former/fans” on here now just focusing all their attention on discussing the pointless movements of one very irrelevant troll. I think you have a great attitude and space to share with ppl actually want to talk about the film and performances.

Thank you for sticking to what’s important!

I agree. I think the initial thought was for this to be an award contender.

I love what David Yates has done in the past. He’s an incredible director. But maybe this style of movie wasn’t for him. And with a mediocre script 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think everyone did what they could for what was given to them. And I do agree, he got some good acting out of Chris. Chris seems to flourish with the right direction. And even the garage/crying scene, I felt that. That’s a weakness for Chris.

I think the viewers are a definitely a better gauge on this than the critics. Kinda makes you wonder why they went at the movie so hard, especially Chris. And like you said, considering the lack of promotion done, it’s done great. I hate that SpiderVerse is about to take over it’s spot (at least this is what I think will happen). But if it stays in the top 10, more people will see it and click.

I want this space to be about the fanfics and Chris’ characters and work. It’s what I’ve always wanted. I’ll give a bit of attention if something new happens, but I’m bored and have better things to do than to worry about someone insignificant to me. And this space will continue to be about the stories, his characters, his work, thirsting, being goofy, and having fun.

[ciaossu-imagines]

hey, it's nix! thanks for this wonderful event! for day 20, can you do number 30 from prompt 11? ⋆｡ʚ🍓ɞ˚

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also, while i’m at it, i just wanna chat for a bit. i did mention to you before about being shy when it comes to public performances, but yesterday, i was assigned to work at a psychiatric institution for our related learning experience as a student nurse, and a patient & i bonded over our love for “don’t look back in anger” by oasis. she had asked me to play it on the piano in the main hall, and we ended up singing together. surprisingly, everyone, even other patients, joined in listening. i’m not sure how i feel about my clinical instructor and classmates discovering my musical ability 😂 (because i initially wanted keep a low profile and stay out of the spotlight), but playing for that patient helped me get more comfortable performing. now, every time i listen to that song, i think of her. it’s a small step, but i’m hoping to improve even more. i just know that sho-chan would be proud! haha

Hey Nix! It’s so nice to hear from you (especially since I needed to reach out to you anyway about an ask you sent in, just to clarify I don’t keep anyone’s match-up send in after it’s done, so I would really appreciate you resending that in, please and thank you!!) But onto the ask! I’m so, so glad that you and the others seemed to enjoy the event this time! The response I got for asks was amazing and it makes me really happy! Also, I loved hearing about your experience at the learning experience! You are right, Sho-chan would be so very, very proud of you! Heck, I (and I am sure the other readers) are very proud of you too! That’s an amazing thing you did, both overcoming a slight fear of public performances and making that patient’s day, as I am sure you did. Just as you think about her now listening to the song, I’m sure she’s always going to remember you when she hears the song now. As someone else who doesn’t really like to draw attention to themselves, I personally find what you did very inspiring 😊 Anyway, I’ll move onto answering the question you asked and again, thank you for sending in a question and for sharing such a lovely experience with me and the other readers!

What is your favourite thing to do?

As with everything else, I really do struggle to pick favourites. It’s hard to say ‘this one thing is better than anything else’ for me, because there’s so many things that bring me joy. Some of the things that really make me happy doing them are:

Of course, writing ranks pretty high up on this list. It’s therapeutic and fun to get out of my life for a bit and fall into characters and other worlds and on top of that, because of the nature of this particular blog, there’s a really pleasant social aspect to it that helps me feel like I’ve found my people, even if just online.

The library is my safe place and I visit it at least once a week. I love just browsing the stacks, taking the time to pick my ten books for the month, as well as talking and catching up with the librarian’s and their lives, plus any cool events the library is hosting in the upcoming weeks. On top of that, my library is really cool in that they do up mystery bags they sell where you get several used books in a particular genre, and I treat myself to one of those and some discounted coffee from a local coffee company when I go! I also love reading manga and books I already own. Again, falling into another world for a little bit – it’s the most wonderful escape.

 I love crafting. I do diamond art and I sew, embroider, and cross-stitch. I recently got news that a friend is pregnant, so I’m working on a cross-stitched baby blanket top that I’ll quilt up for the couple and I enjoy zoning out and doing it.

I’m a house (architecture and interior design) nerd, I admit it. I love looking at the online listings and I have a couple of dorky friends who get together with me and we go to open houses within an hour or two of us. It’s fun to scope out houses and we have fun discussing how we’d change, fix up, and decorate the places after we act like nosey Nellies.

I also love getting outside. I’m a pretty big hiker and throwing on some music or a podcast and even just getting out for a couple hours on the nature trails is lovely.

[formula-fun]

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!&Hi!!!!! I reread my ask from yesterday and realized I actually forgot the say hi…… we do live in very different time zones and I have been waking up to your replies for two days! They make my 5am mornings so much better. (I must say you are much more coherent than I would ever be early morning).

“Writing in a really mathematical/analytical way about relationship in the story” spoken like a true architect-in-the-making!!! I bet you even have timeline charts and relationship graphs. I love this way of thinking and writing (at least for work) because having a clear structure and then cooking up the stuffing can make sure nothing has been missed (most of the time). Especially when I write comments(which is not work) I run with my train of thought and always end up forgetting another part I really liked hahahahha.

The mating!!!!!!! I am (not really) sorry you have to think through the logistics, but I am looking forward to it so much!!(I have no idea why I am having house of dragon drinking each other’s blood on the island of ancestors flashbacks, but biting each other on the throat/neck hard enough to break skin is technically drinking blood too!)

I would love to see your take on it!!!! I have seen many different versions of authors’ take on “mating in ABO”with extreme and not so extreme interpretations on the ideas of “ownership”, ”mating bond”, and “as long as we both shall live you would have to cut out your glands to ever leave me.”(not that any of the above are anything aligned with your lovely story).

This I understand is maybe one of your reasons for using ABO as background because what better way is there to force two white privileged men(sorry) into gender roles, social expectations and watch their pain HAHA. And I am just glad you did because I am so here for all the amazing kissing and unsafe sex they will have(sorry again but hhahahahahhahah).

My understanding of genders in kids for ABO is that generally there are two kinds: 1.they are born a boy/girl alpha/beta/omega 2.they are born boy/girl and presents in early teenage years. You picked the second which is indeed convoluted because real life gender stereotypes kind of start since birth, most of us are raised into our parents vision of what a girl or boy should be like. Parents are much more open-minded now I know but still.

I do not know if within your story male alphas and girl alphas are the same? My understanding is more on the side of the food chain has just been dissected but ultimately the top is still male alphas, you did mention when boys presented as alphas they became cocky, like an extra layer of social privilege. That’s why still being born a boy and presenting as an omega is practically a second cruel round of “natural selection”, like “I was born and raised to be on top of the world with all the great expectations but I became an omega so I am now being told to accept it, give up and become someone else entirely” (gawd the amount of therapists needed in ABO world for self-identity issues is unbelievable). And F1 being such a white alpha male sport is extra crushing of dreams for a boy who is no longer a boy but an omega. It’s one of the reasons I understand from the story why Charles tried so hard to fly under the radar without much success?

While on the other hand being born a girl and presented as alpha is like being reborn and regarded socially as a step up(maybe?).

Though I also think there is nothing wrong with “becoming someone else” aligned with gender stereotypes or not, because “natural selection” or not, Charles and Max growing up, learning what they want and allowing themselves to be happy is “becoming someone different” in its own. (In this sentence I am pretending pregnancy and motherhood is not at all stereotypically stressful and technically detrimental to most professional careers so much for a story with this topic in discussion it’s absurd). I love all the changes happening to them in the story, actively doing or just unconsciously starting to choose their hearts desires.

For the ring I didn’t really think of showing off but more to spite the media: “I’m an omega world champion and baby mama but I can still win races and championships against alpha boys, AND I can have a world champion baby daddy at home taking care of our child” while not being afraid at all to embrace some other socially “omega-like” things, like a stereotypically diamond engagement ring(I know you said that is more of a beta thing to do). But in retrospect, that’s really neither of their styles, their style of “I want my love and my family to be happy, fuck everyone else” is much better.

Can’t believe an academic paper is keeping us from having nice things!!!!!! “cause forgiveness is a nice thing to do” I won’t forgive you, I mean the paper!!!! Though what is the paper titled?

I love your “long ass replies” they are really nice to read (besides the fic obviously😼)

Happy Thursday to you! The weekend cannot come soon enough though work would probably come for me still.

Xxxxxxxxxooooooooxxxxxoooo<3333

oh nooooooooooo hello hello how dare you send me such good questions, this is going to be an ESSAY

I think we have very different writing/thinking styles then probably because I'm the same!! i need to have everything planned out (my graphs....who told you about my graphs....dkjfdfjkskjdfjk) and then when i write stuff like responses to really good and well worded questions in my tumblr inbox it is all straight out the window. stream of consciousness baby!! who knows what the fuck i am even saying!! i am glad we are united on this topic

so for mating idk if you want me to spoil it?? but I think basically betas and alphas/omegas have kinda independent customs where betas get married while alphas and omegas have a ceremony that like acknowledges their bond but it's a little more informal and social than a wedding would typically be. it's less about a legal bond and more about throwing a big party that allows their pack, family and close friends to kinda witness that theyre now an item, rather than a like...handing off of a bride if that makes sense? since actually becoming mates is kinda cough intimate cough, this is more of an acknowledgement that they're now mates and both off the market, and it's also a chance for their packs to get to know each other if they don't already. some alphas and omegas also get married! it's kinda up to them. in my head mating bonds are acknowledged in most countries the same as marriage is, so a traditional wedding would be held for the same purpose as a mating ceremony, just on a larger scale: publicizing that they're both together and no longer single

apologies for the gross long paragraph dfkjdfkjdjskf you have awakened worldbuilding in me

the other thing that has not been discussed!! is that in this universe everyone is born male or female (or variations therein, obvs sex is complicated) but if youre born to alpha and omega parents it's pretty likely you'll present as an alpha or omega. occasionally children of betas present too but it's not quite as common. there was a timeline of this fic where lando presented as an omega super late but i actually scrapped it lol there was TOO much already happening. but ya tldr people born male can present as alphas or stay betas, and people born female can present as omegas or stay betas

ok and then your next question has a really weird answer, im sorry in advance but plz stay with me

there is a concept which will soon come up and that concept is that in terms of social heirarchy alphas are actually at the bottom and betas are at the top in a lot of countries. I think yuki already mentioned that his pack was all omegas in japan and very few alphas race? cannot remember how in depth this went. but basically alphas are seen as strong and powerful or whatever, but they're also seen as really aggressive and dangerous and they only make up 25% of the population while betas make up 50%. meanwhile omegas are usually seen as kind of stupid or needy or whatever, but they're at least not seen as dangerous to betas, so in some places they have slightly more rights. Japan is one of those places and i think the US is going to probably be another, to a slightly higher degree. Most of europe is the other way around, so alphas are favored, but in general things are pretty equal. it varies a little by country to country though

so charles doesn't really have any shame in being an omega or being part of an oppressed group per se, his issue is more with his own kinda dysphoria that omegas still aren't really common in F1 and he doesn't feel like he should flaunt that, combined with the fact he doesn't really feel confident in his own identity and feels like he can't express it for that reason. he needs therapy fr fr

ok i answered this one late at night so i NEED to go to bed!!! but maybe this clarified things? clear as mud probably, sorry for that

and hahahsa i cant remember the name of this paper and im too tired to look it up but it was about private vs public life and how the family acts as a refuge away from the scariness of the public realm. kinda like this fic!!! wow kjdfdfksjkdfjk

ok ok thats all from me thank you so much for the questions and i love chatting as always!!! And a happy thursday to you too!!!

[htylmg]

i think Something happened to me yesterday but i need y’all’s opinion

i work at a tutoring service and usually i’m one of the last tutors to arrive for the morning shift, but we still have to arrive like 30ish minutes before the kids for… reasons. so imagine my surprise when i arrive and the door is fully unlocked, lights are off, and nobody’s inside, in the lounge room or anywhere. i ask the guy who owns the neighboring store if he saw anybody walk in and he says “maybe” in the thickest lithuanian accent you’ve ever heard. (or maybe he just didn’t want to put up with me. hm.)

i walk back into my work and the lights turn on. we don’t have motion activated sensors so immediately i get a feeling that Something is off but i cannot be bothered as i’m hungover as shit. i look at my phone clock- t-minus 20 minutes until the little shits arrive.

i check the sign-in sheet, as our Godly Manager- nowhere to be seen- uses that paper and that paper only to check off our attendance. of course, my chicken scratch is the only handwriting on today’s list. on a whim, i leaf back through the other days and in doing so, realize i’m the only one who ever signs in with a colored pen. everyone else only uses black. “well, guess i didn’t get the email” is all i think, and leave it alone.

it’s t-minus 15 minutes now, so i put in headphones to feel a little alive while opening up. while i’m wiping down a counter for no reason- perhaps because our Godly Manager thinks lysol wipes are a waste of money- i whip my hair a little too hard to “fuck me pumps” and my airpod goes flying out under a table. i’m still only mildly pissed atp, so i casually reach under the table to get it back and i feel the most sickening cold i’ve ever felt jam its way into me. (when i say “sickening”, i mean it physically made me feel sick, it was that cold.)

i pick the airpod back up, the one still jammed in my ear still blaring music, and look around for the source of the cold, bc i know it’s not our janky-ass air conditioner that only works in winter. and it couldn’t have been the weather- it’s a texas summer, the only wind we get are tornadoes.

after investigating for a little bit, i see no source, so i go back to cleaning, but sans airpods. (sorry, amy winehouse.) after what’s a solid ten or so minutes of cleaning- and watching the sky change and get progressively vibrant- i check my phone again, and do the biggest double-take i’ve ever done (except in a show i did where the lead kissed both his female co-stars then came out as gay, all backstage during final dress.) it’s t-minus 10 minutes.

“there’s no way it’s only been five minutes,” i murmur to myself, and this is the point where i start to Lose My Shit. my breaking point, if you will.

i grab a mic stand- unsure why we even have that, we don’t have a microphone- and hunker down at a table directly in front of the clear glass, staring at shoppers making their way in and out the stores around me while also trying not to make eye contact with the person in the window gripping a mic stand, looking ready to beat someone’s ass. i’m a motherfucking indian miss havisham, i think, half-crazed. (i say half because i hadn’t had coffee yet.)

i zone out, still gripping señor mic stand- we’ve bonded in the ?? minutes we’ve been here- and so i have no recollection of the lithuanian store owner (!!!) coming out of his store and face to face with me in the window. i have no recollection of anything except when i came to and saw a bearded man in his 50s making severe eye contact with me and rapping his knuckles on the window. the noise i make is just a bit quieter than a sonic boom, but my soul is remotely intact. (maybe.)

once i get over the initial… gah… he orders us coffee from the starbucks across the street- plain black coffees for both of us- and we drink our overpriced boon in silence while leaning against the window. he doesn’t talk once, which i appreciate because i am still very much hungover. i check my phone. t-minus 7 minutes.

i sigh very loudly. the lithuanian man looks at me awkwardly. i don’t feel like explaining the looney tunes/ghostbusters situation i think i’m in in, so i just say, “feels like i’ve been here forever.”

“mm.”

eloquent. now i’m purposely trying to make conversation just to prove something. “my phone keeps saying it’s only been less than 30 minutes, but i know it’s not true.”

“mm.”

now i’m not scared anymore, just mildly pissed for no reason. i recycle the cup- save the environment- and but him adieu. he has no reaction. his work here is done. i think he may be an entity.

i go back inside to the wretched place and arm myself with the mic stand once again. i check my phone one last time and blink very slowly. t-minus -2 minutes. those little shits were supposed to be here two minutes ago. i look outside. lithuanian man is gone. i grip the mic stand and slowly, slowly make my way to the front door, which has no windows. i wish i could say my internal monologue at this time is something inspiring and bold and shakespearean, but instead i’m whimpering what the fuck, what the fuck, over and over again. yknow- shakespearean.

like i’m ripping a band-aid off, i throw the door open. three 11-year-olds stand there, looking very pissed.

“we’ve been knocking for like five minutes,” one says.

“my mom was waiting for someone to answer before she leaves. you’re in soooo much trouble, miss [redacted],” another informs me.

“what are you carrying?” asks the final.

i sweep them inside forcibly with one hand and prop the door open with a doorstop. the darkness will not engulf me once more.

“that’s not safe,” the middle informs me yet again.

“i’m the boss,” i mutter, and turn around and give her a withering stare. she shrinks i little and i feel immensely guilty. power is not fun.

“now let’s. let’s review fractions… yeah?”

the rest of the day goes as normal. my phone clock works just fine. i’m the only one to clock in all day, and it’s only when i arrive home that i check my texts and see that everyone had been planning a week in advance to take a sick day on the same day and prank our Godly Manager, who somehow caught wind of this and didn’t arrive either. i don’t know if they assumed i knew as well or just didn’t bother to tell me. frankly, i don’t want to know.

i think i’m going to relisten to the magnus archives.

[masschase]

xixi and casey for the ship section of the ask meme? pretty please? 👉🏻👈🏻

Of course you may has some Xic 😊

Ask meme (Mr. Krabs voice: More. 😈)

001 | send me a ship and I will tell you:

• when I started shipping it if I did: 30th June 2023 because I checked our messages 🤭 we were talking about various Boss x Boss possibilities and got into just how messy those two would be together, especially in their SR2 era so we... specifically paired them up in that era 😆

My thoughts:

It's a ship I can't quite see for Boss Casey, though I can see them knowing each other. But non-Boss? Absolutely! If it seems like I sideline them at all it's only because I do prefer Casey as a leader in some capacity and I'm careful where I make them work. But for example working them in as exes in the Sinners AU fits quite nicely. It's definitely not supposed to be a aspirational dynamic though, and some stuff they do to each other is downright toxic. For example Xixi repetitively lying to Casey about taking harder drugs. Casey sleeping with other people when she's mad about that.

What makes me happy about them:

I love that they're a bit of a mess, I love that Casey follows Xixi around like a puppy but still tries to say it's just sex, it's quite a departure from her as a leader and that's always hard because sticking an OC in a completely different situation does make you start to wonder by what measure they are the same person. But I see the aspects of Casey that the AU would lend itself to. I just enjoy that it's something different, I think your enthusiasm about it kind of helped me out of my comfort zone to do something a bit different.

What makes me sad about them:

I mean the reason this is out of my comfort zone is that I do generally prefer that people bring out the best in each other whereas with these two it's the worst. Like that's an important part of them but it leads to some downright painful moments when instead of moving past their issues with each other they just retaliate against each other. Then there's the fact they're practically designed to end in disaster. It's definitely the angstier part of me that likes them.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me:

I mean if there's ever a fanfic it'll be you or I that write it Carrie so I can't see anything going wrong? If I wrote Xixi in a way you weren't happy with obviously I'd be upset with myself 🥲 I think I have a sense of her now though!

Things I look for in fanfic:

Hmm. Again things we would both write pretty naturally. Make it messy and a little sad. Make them bring out the absolute worst in each other because the oof moments are something unique to them. But make sure the love is there.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: 

Pretty easy since they both had established ships before discussing this!

Xixi: Obviously Johnny and I really eagerly await your fanfic, I will eat that up. But I also really like her with Viola! I mean I even said yesterday that Boss x Viola fascinates me.

Casey: Matt or Zoo or both. I think we also discussed Van x Matt x Casey being a possibility after a version of Xixi x Casey that lives. Maybe Shaundi or Johnny in some circumstances.

My happily ever after for them:

Retiring on the beach after one last big job that somehow works out. That's the kind of thing they have going.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon:

I think that's a hard one! I think I see them more with Casey's head on Xixi's chest than spooning most of the time! Casey seeking that warmth without actually having to be the one who initiates a cuddle because we know she struggles with that, and Xixi being the one who actually puts her arms around her. If they did spoon it'd be very drunk/high collapsing whichever way around.

What is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Drinking and smoking, mostly. Getting high and people watching. Adrenaline highs. Bad driving.

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to the weekend!

Wow! Here we are again: Friday! Where did that week go? No, seriously, where did that week go?

I am now in assignment-marking mode. The Mighty Josiah will NOT be happy when I can’t take him to the park. Having said that, if I sit at my desk too long, my body will seize up. A very wise and very beautiful HR woman told me to periodically get up and move. And she knows best! Do not try to distract me. I am in the zone. Well, you can distract me if you like. I’m a sucker for a good distraction. In fact, I’m a sucker for most things. Did I say that out loud?

Forgive me for looking at the weather forecast. That bloody snow was a shock to the system! Thankfully, next week, no more snow, just rain and mild temperatures. It will be wet and warm, just the way I like it!

The Lineker incident rumbled on yesterday. He’s a highly intelligent man, so all the criticism was literally like water off a duck’s back. Grant Shapps wondered why Lineker was defending the people-trafficking criminals. He definitely wasn’t. He was concerned for the innocents caught up in the illegal trade. Sadly, the government are not actively pursuing the traffickers. That would probably involve hard work. It’s much easier to ostracise the boat people, who probably had no idea how much hostility they were walking into. And what happened to the children that were kidnapped from a Brighton hotel? Who cares about them? Seemingly, no one. Remember, illegal immigrants are committing a crime, asylum seekers are not!

R.I.P. Israeli actor, Topol, 87, famously Tevye in the 1971 film ‘Fiddler On The Roof’. Any person with any drop of Jewish blood in them will do a passable impersonation of Topol singing ‘If I Were A Rich Man’. Though, from the same film, ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ is a beautiful song that never fails to make me cry.

Really hope you can join me tomorrow at 1.00 p.m. for The Letter M (Pt. 2). Executive Producer: the party girl, Barbara Jones. No ‘A-Z’ on the 18th, back on the 25th with Part Three.

Have a fabulous and funky Friday! I love you all. You’re probably thinking, “You don’t even know me!” but, if people can hate for no reason, why can’t I love?

[the-firebird69]

There's a lot going on huge amount of people coming in of ours and there is was a giant number of morlock here. It was a concern and then their gone. Few more things happening

-got a large amount of gold spotted by people here in Florida and they're mining it and it's white gold it's in Central Florida and it's going to attract people especially the idiots they like gold

-there's been a big momentous occasion and it was yesterday where they just kept trying to get here and failed and the big chunk of them died and it was the morlock. Huge numbers tried to get here and didn't make it and only a few were pushed in from the other parts of the states and it was just a huge waste of time and they're pushed here by Max. It was a giant loss and it'll probably start up again but the numbers are very high and the numbers of ships they lost or gigantic in the forgieners have to stop them

-John Lee boulevard was shot to death and he was pretty dead it's 9 mm close range into the temple and angle and into the back of his head and it bounced around in deformed and caused a lot of damage destroyed but the size of his fist in the back of his head was destroyed and that's pretty much the size of his brain. And the shooter says they're not readily identified but he knows who it is as does the person was there and others the witness to changing by eating our son's relatives. And she says shooting him in the head is a threat to move into his apartment as well and meeting John arena learns apartment and he's not listening when she keeps saying it. I guess they did some things to spend yours while in Spain they came after them in there grabbing a few but most of them die by comparison. Since the shooting the trumpsters were almost completely eradicated from Spain there's two little hovels and they almost completely eradicated Jason's people and they're in the same two little hovels that's how we are and that's how the Spanish are so today is going to be a celebration as they watch the remaining idiots kill each other

-theres a few more things happening. We are having a signed over to us huge businesses today and we did have the bank signed over already. But today there are businesses coming to us like Arco gas Marathon gas Chevron gas Mobil gas Sunoco oil Shell oil British petroleum Occidental oil Occidental gas and petroleum 76 and several more good sized companies. Finally worked it out and today is finally the day and it is a signing and it is in the major cities at event centers.

-we're beginning to clean this area up from Storm damage and it is a mess houses need to be ripped out buildings need to be ripped out and the max know it the area is a disaster zone still something still work the electrical systems need to be gone through completely and we're afraid it has to be done all at the same time and that's what it is. What's up bja writing on our son's account and I said didn't publish but people can still see it and he was caught three times and told not to three times and he's still trying to do it now and they're going after him cuz he's this little f** saying stupid things here and there and all it is sedition. We have reason to believe that we need to go after him too and our son says of course and daughter says why not he's trying to hit him too stupid piece of s*** needs to be shot as soon as Trump again even after getting killed by his own people it's not enough for him yeah that's his clan was Lily. Few more things going on

-there's a giant sale on nothing here nobody's selling stuff for the most part I'll be essentials we noticed that too that the boat show and the post about show and the walk around town show that they had all these tents and stuff and hardly anybody bought anything so weird scene everybody has money but no one can buy anything cuz your label was something cuz he's retards. Were going to use this against them it's not that hard you're going to go in and buy stuff and sell stuff to our own, the movie is houses and we're buying cars and trucks and essentials and furniture cabinets all sorts of things I didn't see it and they flip out and it started following and we nail them then more come in then we nail them. We keep doing it here until you're all dead morlok.

-we do have another thing happening the local government is firing everybody who has left who's a warlock from government jobs and including Charlotte transportation and yeah that was his pink slip he got fired and he wanted people to see it now Alice's excuse to show the sheriff what he's up to the sheriff was trying to catch people including our son. And they say they're up to 100% but they have only fired about 70% of the public workers globally and 60% of them privately and it's going on but local government here is getting rid of them all set the pace and it's because they're horrific they don't do anything in the way and a bunch of suck bags what it really is.

-is it such an idiots here and they need to be hit and we're sitting in troops now

-we're working on a few big businesses I said it yesterday it was curious which ones and she knows which ones apparently it would be a little something home Depot Ace and one other chain people think is defunct Grossman's they said it was defunct it's not people start going there and said you're still here and they got beat up. Several other big companies were working on Walmart Costco BJ's which is too big Sam's and several other warehouse stores were also working on the retail end of things Lord & Taylor's Neiman Marcus Macy's JCPenney hiring stores were working on taking over cuz people aren't doing anything there they're not even opening and we're also going to work on bells caldoor Target and just a huge number of stors they're in the mall or strip malls or even by themselves like bed bath & beyond we're going to Target all of them because they're sucky as hell and the big warehouse stores and were starting a program on them today.

We Begin the program on the automobiles and we're signing and we had several of them signed. And we're proceeding to sign several more this week and today is one of them and it is

*Ford motor company and they are huge the world's biggest auto and truck maker in history they have the largest sales and we are excited over or they are today to us Lock stock and barrel

Tomorrow we're signing over another company it's number two in volume and money

*Chevrolet GMC and all the related products and it is one company under One roof and it has been for years and it will be ours tomorrow

So other companies signing over to us tomorrow, and they're huge when it's dow company, 3M and polican, gas companies Comgast and other natural gas companies and specialty gases, a few stragglers from the food industry like Slater Brothers and a few other independent grocery stores but one huge trucking company Lane and we finished up negotiations last night. We like to switch subjects but no. And we're also signing haven't signed over to us today several big companies have been outstanding huge shipping companies and distribution companies and I took a beating and they didn't want to and they want us to try to capture us they say and it's Hyundai Daewoo Kia has some of it the last one and lane shipping evergreen and a few more. These companies are coming to us and asking us to take over so we will and we will have probably 80% of the world's shipping and trucking by the end of the day today and tomorrow there's a few other industries signing over and what is water and it wasn't talked about too much huge water companies are coming to us one of those Coca-Cola they're signing over there water division completely tomorrow and the other one is Poland springs and they're huge they developed 90% of the water industry and retained 50% of it and we're taking it over completely tomorrow water filtration systems and towns and cities going to take over that business completely to business and you charge the city and a town and we are going to run in a completely it is just a nightmare now Sue or treatment facilities will take you over 100% all over the world tomorrow and there's many many more there's too many to list here and we're not going to list all of them anyways but just to be sure we are going to have the big four automakers and the big three from other countries tomorrow that's right along with Ford and Chevy are the other two which is Chrysler and AMC in Pontiac is the third and not real big but they're also producers AMC is not very big the Chrysler's big and we came up with a new line and they're like sucks they have like three cars there's been non-existent already and they're being laughed out of the industry and we don't want that I'm going to take over where people are falling and who dropped the ball for other things that they're doing with her just waste of time and we tell them but they don't get it so we are working on all that and the big three are signing tomorrow as well Toyota Honda and Nissan they aren't signing but it's also Mercedes and BMW and several more automakers they're considered huge and motorcycles by BMW and you wouldn't believe we told you but it's pretty much all the major vehicle makers on Earth and including big trucks Kenworth and Mac Fleetwood. There's a list of businesses that are signing over it is very huge and we don't have that published but a lot of people know what's going on.

We are into construction and we're purchasing the big companies they're going to sell to this several of them are selling today it will finalize maybe for tomorrow or Friday and it's Morrison condensing Bechtel obiashi and design firms like Parsons brinkerhoff Turner perini and there is Peabody and they're not selling Suffolk construction is not selling because they're Mac and ben Arnold the last two. Look for the most part everybody's selling except for those two guys almost across the board it's weirdness. But we're mobilizing today and those companies will be signed over to us fully tomorrow and the day after right now we have to temporary agreement kind of working together on things and they'll see how it will be and it's not impossible it's very helpful they say and we're moving into positions all over the world to do projects and we are attracting the morlock and there's a whole Gob of them left and some projects were halted, but not supposed to definitely they're halted in their military moved in and started to eradicating the idiots from the area that's the process what's going on now so whenever we have a project to move in to do it if we get stuck there the military of the country comes in and starts going after the idiots whichever ones it is so we're doing it here in Florida yesterday the military said we can't handle all this work so we moved in our units and a ton of them and just kept doing it they they're coming with us too but there's a huge amount and throughout South Florida they were probably the man real fast anyway and we got more projects so we're going to start big ones too. It's a huge day here because several of them have moved out of the neighborhood there were 50 as of yesterday still out of the 200 and half those are mixed as of this morning 25 houses remain the half that are mixed the morlock left. Tons and tons of the idiots are leaving Florida now and see they can't get in and we can't get out at some point. And there are fanatics headed here yes from other countries that are just different races. So really there are 25 houses and out of those 25 five are contemplating leaving seriously and 15 out of the 25 are here only a few days a week if that and fairly soon if they come here they get arrested. And it's because they are diminishing rapidly and they are fighting in the midwest over stuff clones and us and they'll probably be gone in a few days. They're fired from all the regular jobs in just a couple days and the government jobs in a couple days. They won't have any Bank accounts the max are taking over the banks and we are and pretty soon they won't have any money at all. They are arresting people all the time in punta Gorda and Port Charlotte and it's constant. Trump re moved the muck up there and he hasn't done much with it. The whole place stinks and we're treating for a fleas up north but really he pulled it all out and it's just sitting there and then Stones you started messing with and then fell back in which is what the clones needed it's still going to be brackish. Clones are mad at trump for doing that they're going after him in the Midwest and up from Midwest and the South and he's getting annihilated. It will take a couple days it is out and there is a pretty much empty of others except clothes and will push them out right now it's much lower than it was it's like 8% now it is falling pretty soon it'll be below 5% and start feeling a lot more well they should now if he wants any groups out and they keep on getting hit and they're closing is getting beat up. And they will probably try to launch attacks on the USA they always got to fail.. there's more happening but we're going to bring it up later this morning when it is more solid

Thor Freya

I'm happy with this let's publish Hera us too Olympus

[yunville]

hi guys omg so im the type of person who like "have a crush" on people i find attractive but never talk to kind of person... its bad i know BUT yesterday was my last day of work and so many things happened with boy #1 and boy #2 😭😭 IM GONNA TELL YALL CAUSE ITS VUTE AF

boy #1 is this cute guy who wears glasses and braces (i have a type for people with braces and glasses 😊) ANYWAYS so on friday, we were scanning the picking slip then we had to scan our name but the scanner didn't work so he went beside me and mind you i was holding the scanner SO HE HELD THE SCANNER TOO AND WAS TRYING TO HELP ME 😭😭 he doesn't know how it works so we eventually gave up and i had to ask the staff BUT LIKEEEEE 😭😭 then i had to pick something up and there was only 2 left but both of us needed it and he was like "do you need?" then i said "oh uhm yeah (IM VERYYY AWKWARD WITH MEN IRL)" and showed him my picking slip and he goes "oh damnn" 😐😐 THEN YESTERDAY i needed help picking something cause it was at the very back and i asked my friend but myf friend said "wait, i'll do mine first" so i waited awkwardly and boy #1 was beside me so he was like "you need help?" and i was like "oh yeah" and he helped (he looked so cool omg) and then i said thank you and blushed for the rest of the day 😊😊😊😊

OKAY NOW BOY #2!! OMGGGG he's the cutest men of my race i've EVER SEEN 😭😭😭😭😭 guys trust me he's fucking adorable 😣😣 so there was no stock for one of the item my friend needed so i helped him asked cause he wasn't done with his work. so i asked boy #2 cause he was in charge of that restocking area and he was like "okay wait i'll find the one in charge of bringing the stock (sounds confusing through words but 😭🤞🏽" then he looked around the warehouse but he couldn't find the person AND we kept making eye contact and when we do he would shrug and kinda pout AND OMG I HATE POUTERS BUT HE WAS SO CUTE I CLOSED BOTH EYES 😋 then he told me to find any FT staff to ask and we did and when we came back to his zone, he literally was like "👍🏽?👎🏽?" FROM AFAR IM DYING IT WAS THE CUTEST THING and i was like "👍🏽," LIKE WE DID THE THUMBS UP AND DOWN IT WAS GENUINELY CUTE 😭 THEN HE HAD TO HELP HIS FRIEND SO HE RAN TO HIS FRIEND AND WAVED AT HIS FRIEND'S FACE LIKE IT DOESN'T SOUND CUTR HERE BUT WHEN YOU SAW THAT INTERACTION IT WAS THE CUTEST THING A PERSON CAN EVER DO! LIKE I LITERALLY AWHED OUT LOUD (boy #1's friend was in front of me :[) idk how to explain & i might sound offensive so i apologise if i do but it's genuinely so hard to find like actual cute guys because most of them tries to have a cool and tough demeanour so seeing this was genuinely the cutest thing ever it made my day 😭 adding on to that men of my race are never cute... like i've never seen a cute boy of my race 😐😐 like hot & handsome guys are cool i guess but i genuinely love cute boys 😊